Real Madrid opened their 2026/27 Champions League campaign with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Kylian Mbappé and Federico Valverde striking in the first half before Carlos Augusto pulled one back for the visitors.
It was a night when Real Madrid were far from their most convincing, but they were ruthless when Inter made mistakes. The Italian side enjoyed long spells of possession and created several dangerous opportunities, yet Madrid’s efficiency and Thibaut Courtois’ outstanding goalkeeping ultimately made the difference.
The match began at a furious pace, with Inter immediately showing that they had not travelled to Madrid simply to defend. Marcus Thuram tested Courtois inside the opening minutes, but the Belgian goalkeeper reacted brilliantly to keep the effort out.
Inter continued to control much of the early possession, but one lapse at the back completely changed the momentum.
In the 14th minute, Real Madrid pressed high and forced Yann Bisseck into an error. Brahim Díaz collected the loose ball and quickly found Mbappé, who showed his trademark composure to finish past Josep Martínez and put the hosts ahead.
The goal was a perfect example of Madrid’s ability to turn pressure into danger in an instant.
Inter tried to respond, but Courtois remained a major obstacle. The goalkeeper produced another important intervention to deny Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s powerful effort, keeping Madrid in front as the visitors continued to threaten.
Then came another costly Inter mistake.
In the 23rd minute, Inter goalkeeper Josep Martínez attempted to play his way out under pressure, only for Valverde to steal possession inside the danger zone and poke the ball into an unguarded net.
The Uruguayan captain’s goal gave Madrid a 2-0 advantage and left Inter facing a mountain despite having arguably enjoyed the better start to the contest.
Madrid almost added a third before the interval. Mbappé produced a brilliant individual run after winning possession in midfield, beating Çalhanoğlu before forcing Martínez into a superb save. Bellingham followed up, but the Inter goalkeeper again stood firm, while Brahim Díaz later struck the post.
Inter could easily have been further behind at half-time, but they remained alive.
After the break, the visitors returned with renewed determination. Madrid were increasingly forced to defend deeper, and the match became stretched from end to end.
Real Madrid had opportunities to kill the game. Brahim produced one of the night’s most entertaining pieces of skill when he raced beyond Inter defenders and delivered a dangerous cross toward Bellingham, but the England international could not convert from close range.
Mbappé also had another excellent opportunity after Valverde recovered possession and Brahim supplied the ball into the penalty area. The Frenchman’s effort was again denied by Martínez.
Inter eventually got the reward their pressure deserved in the 77th minute.
Lautaro Martínez delivered a dangerous low ball across the area, and Carlos Augusto arrived at the right moment to finish and reduce the deficit to 2-1.
Suddenly, the Bernabéu became tense.
Inter sensed an equaliser and continued pushing forward, while Madrid struggled to regain the control they had enjoyed during the opening stages. The home supporters became increasingly anxious as the visitors searched for a second goal.
Courtois, however, refused to surrender.
The Belgian produced another series of crucial saves, including a late stop that prevented Inter from completing the comeback. Madrid also had to survive several dangerous moments in the final minutes as Inter threw players forward.
The visitors had the momentum, but Madrid had the lead.
When the final whistle arrived, José Mourinho’s side had secured three valuable points, although the performance left plenty for the manager to analyse.
The victory was particularly significant for Mourinho, who was facing his former club. His connection with Inter remains one of the most celebrated chapters of his managerial career after leading the Italian giants to Champions League glory in 2010.
For Madrid, Mbappé and Valverde supplied the goals, but Courtois arguably deserved the biggest applause. Even Valverde admitted after the match that the goalkeeper was the standout performer.
The result also highlighted an intriguing contrast. Real Madrid were clinical, scoring twice from early opportunities created by Inter’s mistakes, while Inter controlled large portions of the match but failed to make their dominance count.
Mbappé’s movement, Valverde’s pressing and Courtois’ heroics ultimately proved decisive.
For Inter, the defeat will be frustrating because their performance suggested they were capable of getting something from the game. But two defensive errors in the opening 23 minutes gave Madrid a lead that proved too difficult to overturn.
Real Madrid therefore begin their Champions League campaign with three points, while Inter are left to wonder what might have happened if they had avoided those costly mistakes.
It was not a perfect Madrid performance, but in Europe, efficiency often matters more than elegance.
And on a dramatic night at the Bernabéu, Mbappé, Valverde and Courtois ensured that Real Madrid had the final word.
