Mourinho to remain in the stand as Real visit Zagreb

Real Madrid will begin their quest for a tenth European Cup without Kaka and coach Jose Mourinho against Dinamo Zagreb in the Spanish club’s opening group stage match of the Champions League tonight.

Kaka will not make the trip to Zagreb because of a heel injury, while Mourinho serves the second of a three-match ban resulting from an outburst during the ill-tempered semi-final against Barcelona last season.

Kaka came on as a substitute in Madrid’s 4-2 win over Getafe on Saturday and has struggled to dislodge Mesut Ozil from the starting XI this season. Midfielders Lassana Diarra and Sami Khedira are both included in the 21-man squad.

Real’s excellent start to the season makes them the favourites to win Group D, which also includes Lyon and Ajax.

While Real have won Europe’s top club competition a record nine times, their last victory came thanks to Zinedine Zidane’s memorable goal at Hampden in 2002.

Mourinho guided Real to the semi-finals last season and has promised further success in his second year in charge – a Champions League or La Liga title is the minimum expected after a Copa del Rey victory in his debut season. “He, like all of us, want more this season. We want to take it up a level,” said Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas. “He’s given us more character and made us more ambitious.” Khedira will return for the first time since last month’s Spanish Supercopa, while midfielder Esteban Granero also returned from injury on Saturday. Midfielders Hamit Altintop (back) and Nuri Sahin (knee) remain sidelined. Dinamo will be playing in Europe’s elite competition for the first time since 1999.