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Federico Valverde has admitted that Real Madrid did not carry out Jose Mourinho's tactical instructions during their Champions League win against Inter. Although the Spanish giants collected all three points at the Bernabeu, the Uruguay international was sharply critical of the side's display in the second half after they allowed their Italian opponents back into the game.

Real Madrid edge past Inter in thriller

Real Madrid began their European campaign with an important 2-1 win over Inter, but it was anything but comfortable. Kylian Mbappe gave the home side an early lead with a composed finish, taking his tally to 71 Champions League goals.

The hosts then went 2-0 up when club captain Valverde took full advantage of a major mistake by Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez. But after the break, Real Madrid lost control of the contest and allowed the Serie A side to pile on sustained pressure.

Carlos Augusto eventually scored for the visitors, making for a nervous finish at the Bernabeu. Thibaut Courtois, playing his 100th match in the competition, had to produce a number of vital saves to make sure Mourinho's team held on for the victory.

Valverde criticises second-half display

Despite taking maximum points against Mourinho's former club, Valverde was far from fully pleased with the way Madrid handled the match. The midfielder said the players had clearly failed to do what their manager asked for at half-time.

"Mourinho told us very clearly to keep the ball more, especially in their half, and to play more calmly," Valverde said after the final whistle. "We did not do that."

The 28-year-old also called on his team-mates to set higher standards for themselves from here on. Looking back at the drop in intensity, he said: "We have to be self-critical. It's true that we won and it's important to start with a win, but we as players need to realise that we put in a poor second half and did not play well."

Mbappe makes Champions League history

Even though Real Madrid's second-half performance raised concerns, the evening ultimately belonged to Mbappe. The France captain's goal took him level with Madrid legend Raul on 71 goals in Europe's premier club competition.

Notably, the 27-year-old reached that landmark in only 99 appearances, significantly fewer than Raul's 142 matches. He is now joint-fifth in the all-time scoring list, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema.

That landmark strike laid the platform for Madrid's win, even as the team found it difficult to keep control of the match. Inter, for their part, will feel hard done by to come away with nothing after Curtis Jones hit the woodwork and Courtois was tested repeatedly.

Focus shifts back to La Liga duties

Mourinho and his coaching staff are likely to treat the uneasy second half as a lesson as they prepare for a quick return to domestic football. Real Madrid are due to play Rayo Vallecano next in La Liga, where they will aim to produce a more complete display over the full 90 minutes.

Meanwhile, Inter must regroup and sort out their defensive mistakes before returning to Serie A action. The Italian champions next face a difficult challenge against Udinese, where they will hope to respond positively and build momentum again.