Curtis Jones endured a difficult Champions League debut for Inter Milan, inadvertently setting up Kylian Mbappe for a goal during Tuesday's match against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. The former Liverpool midfielder, who joined the Italian club this summer for £30m, had been enjoying a positive start with his new team until that moment.
Sloppy pass punished by Mbappe
As Inter attempted to play out from the back, Jones' loose pass was intercepted by Mbappe. Yann Bisseck tried to intervene but missed his challenge, allowing the French forward to race through and score his first Champions League goal of the campaign.
The error came just days after Jones praised Inter boss Cristian Chivu, saying the manager was a key reason for his move to Italy. Jones said: "There's a reason I came here: the phone calls we had, how the team plays, his tactical ideas, and how he works every single day."
Jones nearly atones but teammates also struggle
Jones almost made amends midway through the first half when his powerful effort struck the crossbar. However, he was not the only Inter player to make a costly mistake. Goalkeeper Josep Martínez attempted a Cruyff turn in the penalty area under pressure from Federico Valverde, but got it wrong, allowing the Uruguayan to tap into an empty net for a 2-0 lead.
Martínez later redeemed himself with a brilliant double save just before half-time. Jones and Martínez will hope for better fortune in the coming weeks as Inter resume their Serie A campaign against Udinese this weekend, followed by a clash with Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.
Chivu's side will have to wait until mid-October for their next Champions League fixture, away to Club Brugge.
