Kylian Mbappe scored as Real Madrid began their UEFA Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The Spanish giants made the most of their chances in the first half and held off a strong response from the Italian side to secure all three points in an entertaining European clash.
The home team started brightly and took the lead in the 14th minute through Kylian Mbappe. The French forward finished calmly after being set up by Brahim Diaz which made it 1-0.
Inter had looked dangerous in the opening stages, but a defensive mistake allowed Madrid to punish them and move ahead.
The home side doubled their advantage nine minutes later. Federico Valverde scored in the 23rd minute after pressing Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez into an error inside the penalty area.
The Uruguayan midfielder reacted quickly to win possession and place the ball into the net, giving the hosts a comfortable 2-0 lead before the half-hour mark.
Despite falling two goals behind, Inter Milan continued to push forward and created several chances as they wanted to help make things easy for themselves.
Hakan Calhanoglu and Lautaro Martinez both tested the Madrid defence, but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced important saves to keep the visitors out.
The Spanish side also threatened on the counterattack, with Vinicius Junior and Mbappe causing problems with their pace and movement around the pitch.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Inter enjoying more possession as they searched for a way back into the game.
Real Madrid remained dangerous whenever they broke forward, but they missed a few opportunities to put the match beyond reach.
The Italian side finally found a breakthrough in the 77th minute when Carlos Augusto scored to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
His goal gave Inter renewed belief and set up a tense finish at the Bernabeu. After Inter’s goal, the visitors increased the pressure and pushed more players into attack.
Lautaro Martinez came close to equalising, while Madrid defenders worked hard to protect their narrow lead as the encounter carried on.
Courtois once again proved his importance with key interventions during the closing stages as the home side battled to see out the result 2-1 after 90 minutes.
The victory gives the Spanish side a positive start in the Champions League league phase and highlights the quality they possess in big European matches.
Mbappe once again delivered on the big stage with an early goal, while Valverde’s energy and determination helped Madrid build the lead that eventually secured victory.
The visitors will feel disappointed with the defensive mistakes that led to both Madrid goals, but they can take encouragement from their second-half performance and attacking threat.
For Jose Mourinho, the result is another important win in front of the club’s supporters. The Spanish side showed efficiency in attack and resilience in defence when it mattered most.
Inter Milan fought until the final whistle, but Real Madrid held firm to claim a valuable 2-1 win in one of the standout matches of the opening Champions League round.
