Mbappe Strikes As Real Madrid Beat Inter To Start Champions League With a Victory

Real Madrid got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start by beating Inter Milan 2-1. Kylian Mbappe once again remained their star performer, as his first-half strike set the tone for the 15-time UCL champions in their league opener.

Inter entered the game with plenty of confidence after a strong start to their season. They were also looking to put their recent Champions League struggles behind them after losing five of their last six matches in the competition. For a while, the Italian side looked ready to make life difficult for Madrid, but their performance quickly changed.

Real Madrid took control during a key spell in the first half and punished Inter's mistakes. The visitors struggled to deal with the pressure, and one mistake from Yann Bisseck opened the door for Madrid. His poor touch allowed Brahim Diaz to find Kylian Mbappe, who made no mistake with the finish and sent the ball into the middle of the net.

Inter had chances of their own through Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu, but none of them could find the finish needed to get their side back into the game. Their missed opportunities proved costly as Madrid took advantage of the chances that came their way.

Afterwards, Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez made a costly mistake, which allowed Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde to score his team's second goal in the first half.

Inter’s bad luck continued further when Curtis Jones hit the crossbar from inside the box. However, Josep Martinez soon made up for his earlier mistake with a brilliant double save, denying both Mbappe and Jude Bellingham just before half-time.

The visitors eventually got their reward with around 15 minutes left on the clock. Lautaro Martinez worked his way to the byline and sent the ball into the danger area. Carlos Augusto managed to get a touch on the cross, and the ball went between Ibrahima Konate’s legs before finding its way past Courtois.

The goal gave Inter a late chance to push for an equalizer. However, Los Blancos handled the pressure well and kept possession during the closing minutes. They avoided any further trouble and secured the victory in a convincing fashion.

For Madrid, it was an ideal way to begin their Champions League campaign. They ticked all the boxes in a thumping win against Inter, with Kylian Mbappe once again remaining their most notable performer on the pitch.