Real Madrid began their 2026/27 UEFA Champions League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday, September 8, giving José Mourinho a winning start in his return to Europe’s premier club competition with the Spanish giants.
Kylian Mbappé and Federico Valverde scored within the opening 23 minutes to put Real Madrid in control, but Inter responded through Carlos Augusto in the second half and pushed hard for an equaliser. Thibaut Courtois ultimately proved decisive, making several important saves as Madrid protected their lead and secured three points.
The result gave Mourinho a successful Champions League return with Real Madrid, while Inter were left to rue defensive mistakes that allowed the hosts to establish an early advantage.
Inter started brightly and created opportunities before Real Madrid found the breakthrough in the 14th minute.
Brahim Díaz helped create the opening for Mbappé, who finished clinically to put the hosts ahead. Nine minutes later, Valverde doubled the advantage after Inter goalkeeper Josep Martínez was unable to deal with pressure during the build-up.
The two goals transformed the contest.
Real Madrid had initially faced pressure from Inter, but their efficiency in front of goal allowed Mourinho’s team to establish a commanding position before the half-hour mark. UEFA’s pre-match statistics had highlighted the historical advantage Madrid held in this fixture, with the Spanish side having won 10 of their previous 19 meetings with Inter.
The Italian visitors continued to threaten, but Madrid entered the interval with a 2-0 advantage.
Inter returned from the break with greater urgency and gradually increased the pressure on Madrid’s defence.
The visitors eventually reduced the deficit in the 77th minute when Carlos Augusto finished from a move involving Lautaro Martínez. The goal gave Inter renewed belief and turned the final stages into a tense battle.
Real Madrid had opportunities to extend their lead, but Inter goalkeeper Josep Martínez made several important interventions to keep his side within reach.
Mourinho later described the match as unusually open and unpredictable, noting that the contest could have produced considerably more goals. He also singled out Courtois for his performance in goal.
The Belgian goalkeeper’s contribution became increasingly important as Inter searched for an equaliser.
Key moments from Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory
- 14th minute: Kylian Mbappé gives Real Madrid the lead.
- 23rd minute: Federico Valverde makes it 2-0.
- 77th minute: Carlos Augusto pulls one back for Inter.
- Final stages: Courtois makes crucial saves to preserve Madrid’s lead.
- Full time: Real Madrid secure a 2-1 victory and three points.
While Mbappé and Valverde supplied the goals, Courtois emerged as one of the most influential players of the night.
Inter’s possession and attacking pressure created several dangerous situations, particularly during the opening stages and after Carlos Augusto’s goal. Courtois repeatedly denied the visitors and produced a crucial late save to prevent Inter from completing the comeback.
Mourinho’s assessment after the match reflected the goalkeeper’s influence. The manager argued that Madrid’s attacking opportunities should have produced a more comfortable scoreline but acknowledged that Courtois was essential to securing the result.
That defensive resilience could prove particularly valuable as Real Madrid face a demanding league-phase schedule.
The victory represents an important early result for Mourinho as he begins another chapter at Real Madrid.
Before the match, the Portuguese coach stressed that every point would matter during the eight-match league phase and that his immediate objective was to beat Inter rather than look too far ahead in the competition.
Madrid’s remaining league-phase fixtures include difficult away matches against Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk, as well as meetings with Roma, AEK Athens, PSV and LASK.
The club’s official schedule lists the upcoming fixtures as:
- Roma vs Real Madrid — October 14
- Real Madrid vs Leipzig — October 21
- AEK Athens vs Real Madrid — November 4
- Real Madrid vs PSV — November 24
- Arsenal vs Real Madrid — December 9
- Real Madrid vs LASK — January 19
- Shakhtar Donetsk vs Real Madrid — January 27
The 2-1 result gives Real Madrid a valuable opening win against one of Europe’s established sides, although the narrow margin also highlighted areas Mourinho will want to address.
Madrid showed considerable attacking efficiency by scoring twice inside 23 minutes, but their inability to put the game beyond Inter allowed the visitors back into the contest.
For Inter, the defeat exposes the cost of defensive errors at the highest level. Cristian Chivu’s side created enough pressure to make the final stages uncomfortable for Madrid but could not recover from the poor start.
The Spanish champions will now turn their attention to their next league-phase fixture against Roma, while Inter face the task of recovering points in their remaining Champions League matches.
For Mourinho, however, the immediate objective has been achieved: Real Madrid have opened their European campaign with three points.
