Real Madrid Hold Off Against Inter In Champions League Opener

 

Kylian Mbappe led Real Madrid to a 2-1 victory against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League match at Bernabéu Stadium. 

Last season, Inter were eliminated from the competition by Bod/Glimt in the playoff. In the 2025 season, they had an impressive outing, reaching the final but lost to Paris Saint-Germain. At Bernabéu, they had a difficult day against Real Madrid, who won convincingly, even though by a slim margin. 

Madrid made their chances count when it mattered, taking advantage of two costly errors in the first half before Inter made a comeback in the latter stages. Real made some desperate defending that ensured Madrid remained in the lead.

Inter’s Yann Bisseck was caught in possession, allowing Brahim to react quickly and play Mbappé through on goal; the French forward kept his composure, sliding the ball beyond Josep Martínez to give Madrid a 1-0 lead.

The second goal followed when Josep Martínez’s hesitation proved costly in the 23rd minute. Under pressure from Valverde after receiving a back-pass, the goalkeeper lost possession, allowing the Madrid midfielder to win the ball and finish into an unguarded net.

Inter pull one back when Lautaro Martinez created space on the right before sending a low delivery across the box. Carlos Augusto reacted quickest, getting ahead of Denzel Dumfries to side-foot the ball into the net and make it 2-1.

Real Madrid kicked off their UEFA Champions League campaign with a victory. Last season, they won the opener with a 3-1 defeat of Stuttgart. In the quarter-final, Bayern Munich knocked them out in a two-leg tie defeat. 

Overview 

Real Madrid controlled the game, forcing Inter to the back foot most of the time. Lautaro was a standout for Inter, burrowing into scoring ranges and dropping deep to help with the defense. Inter played it too open on the left back on both occasions that Real scored in the first half. 

Real Madrid stood a chance to win the match by a wider margin. Besides the goals, they had great chances inside the penalty area to settle the game. Both the midfielder and the left wing were under their control. Unlike Inter, their defense was intact and firm. Courtois did well at stopping Inter's long-range shots. 

Chances and Assists 

Lautaro nearly set Inter ahead on a fast break, striking a 20-yard shot into Courtois' catch. Bellingham lost Real Madrid's closest chance in front of the empty net. The attacker received a lob pass from the right flank, chested down the ball to strike, but Inter's keeper arrived early to block it. Another great moment for Real was Brahim Diaz, who curled a scoring chance out of touch from inside the penalty area.