Real Madrid vs. Inter Milan live score, result, stats as Champions League begins with 2026-27 league phase

Jose Mourinho's return to Champions League action with Real Madrid began in very Mourinho-like fashion as Los Blancos capitalized on a pair of errors to defeat Inter Milan 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.

Madrid conceded large amounts of possession to the visitors, and found themselves under heavy pressure throughout the match as a result. Yet it was massive errors by Curtis Jones and goalkeeper Josep Martinez that proved the difference, gifting first-half goals to Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde.

Both sides were exceedingly wasteful, creating loads of glorious chances to increase the scoreline but failing to put the ball in the net. Outside of Martinez's calamitous error in possession, the two goalkeepers were outstanding.

Carlos Augusto got Inter a goal back with 13 minutes to go after great creative work from Lautaro Martinez, but it wasn't enough as Mourinho made the requisite substitutions to shut down the game and secure three points.

The Sporting News followed the match live, providing updates, highlights and analysis.

Location: Santiago Bernabeu (Madrid, Spain)Referee: Michael Oliver (ENG)

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. T. Courtois (GK) — 24. D. Dumfries, 16. I. Konate, 4. D. Huijsen, 17. M. Cucurella — 8. F. Valverde, 12. T. Alexander-Arnold (Tchouameni, 79') — 21. B. Diaz (Diomande, 79'), 5. J. Bellingham, 7. Vinicius Jr. (Carreras, 87') — 10. K. Mbappe.

Inter (3-5-2, right to left): 1. J. Martinez (GK) — 31. Y. Bisseck, 28. B. Pavard (Stones, 46'), 95. A. Bastoni — 17. A. Diouf, 23. N. Barella (Sucic, 60'), 20. H. Calhanoglu (Zielinski, 60'), 21. C. Jones, 20. C. Augusto (Mkhitaryan, 83') — 10. L. Martinez, 9. M. Thuram (Bonny, 60').

4:56 p.m. — That's the final whistle! A thrilling match comes to an end as Inter don't quite have enough juice to complete the comeback.

It was a thoroughly entertaining affair, one with heaps of chances on both sides of the attacking play. Real Madrid may have rued their missed chances on another day, but Inter's early pair of errors prove costly, and allow the Spaniards to secure the three points in a very Mourinho-like fashion.

4:48 p.m. — Jose Mourinho makes one more substitution, as Vini Jr. comes off, as Alvaro Carreras enters to help defensively on the wing. The Brazilian has put in a massive shift, defending in bunches and also pressing high.

Unfortunately, as he soaks in the cheers from the Bernabeu and the manager's touchline applause, it has cost his team slightly, as he takes too long to exit the pitch, leaving Real Madrid down a man for at least one minute of action.

After some action, in which Inter pour on the pressure, Madrid scramble it out for a corner, and the substitution can be made. They send Kylian Mbappe out to left wing, and Jude Bellingham to the No. 9.

Jose Mourinho hasn't made a single substitution, and Real Madrid look gassed. Finally, he goes to his bench and brings on Yan Diomande and Aurelien Tchouameni to replace Brahim Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Shortly after the game restarts, Dean Huijsen is booked for a high boot to the head of Lautaro Martinez. For his protests, the Argentine striker is also shown a yellow card.

A few minutes later, Henrikh Mkhitaryan comes on for Carlos Augusto, which sends Curtis Jones out to cover at right wing-back for the final minutes.

4:38 p.m. — CARLOS AUGUSTO HAS FOUND A LIFELINE ON A CUTBACK FROM LAUTARO MARTINEZ!

The Argentine bursts vertically down the right side of the penalty area, and he fires a laser beam back towards Augusto who races onto the shot and piledrives it home from the top of the six-yard box!

After so many chances, Inter have finally broken Real Madrid's back line! What a finish we have in store!

Watch Augusto goal in USA:

Carlos Augusto cuts Real Madrid’s lead in half 🍿

HIGHLIGHT: Watch Augusto goal in UK | Watch in Canada

4:30 p.m. — BRAHIM DIAZ WITH A HUGE MISS! HE DRAGS A WIDE-OPEN SHOT JUST INCHES WIDE OF THE POST! After chopping a defender by, Diaz tries to pick out the inside of the far post with his left foot, but the ball skitters wide!

4:28 p.m. — JOSEP MARTINEZ MAKES ANOTHER BIG SAVE! The Inter goalkeeper has been exceptional since his early error!

Real Madrid enjoy a brilliant, free-flowing move forward as three attackers ping the ball between one another on the run, and it comes to Kyilan Mbappe shaded to the left who rips a shot on net. Martinez somehow manages to scramble laterally across his goal mouth to follow the cross and make a big stop to keep the deficit at two!

4:21 p.m. — Inter make three more changes, as Ange-Yoan Bonny, Petar Sucic, and Pitor Zielinski replace Marcus Thuram, Nicolo Barella, and the booked Hakan Calhanoglu. They need a goal very soon.

Mourinho has not yet made a single swap.

4:19 p.m. — HOW HAS THAT NOT GONE IN?!?! Brahim Diaz does brilliantly to dribble through three defenders and loop the ball from the right end line over to the front of net, where Jude Bellingham is waiting from point blank range. He's got the entire goal to shoot at, but somehow — incredibly — can't control the ball for ages, and by the time he does fire off a shot, Josep Martinez manages to recover and slide across to make a diving block! Then, on the rebound, Vinicius Jr. heads over the crossbar!

Bellingham had a wide open goal to shoot at, from two yards out, but somehow hasn't managed to score! Incredible!

4:10 p.m. — Kylian Mbappe gets clean through on goal as he streaks past the Inter defensive line, but the chance evaporates as Josep Martinez comes out of net to challenge the Frenchman. He does just enough to make Mbappe stop, allowing a defender to recover and Martinez to drop. When the shot eventually came in, Martinez had backpedeled enough that he could make an awkward diving stop!

A big missed opportunity from Real Madrid!

4:06 p.m. — As they get back under way at the Bernabeu, Inter have made one change as John Stones comes on to replace Benjamin Pavard at center-back.

3:51 p.m. — Michael Oliver brings the first half to a close, and what a brilliant 45 minutes of football that was! Inter have had more of the ball and more chances on goal, especially in the opening 15 minutes, but failed to capitalize on their opportunities.

Then, down the other end, Inter made two truly bone-headed blunders that gifted Madrid both goals, which sees them trail.

It's a Jose Mourinho special so far!

3:50 p.m. — The final kick of the half nearly sees Real Madrid go three goals up, but Josep Martinez makes a truly sensational double save! Kylian Mbappe blazes past multiple defenders on the left edge of the six-yard box and fires a tight-angle shot on net, and Martinez makes a good low stop on the initial effort. Then, Vinicius Jr. latches onto the ball on the follow-up, and seems to have a tap-in, but Martinez manages to get up and dive to his left to sensationally stop the second effort as well!

That's truly brilliant goalkeeping! Has it made up for the earlier error?

3:43 p.m. — Hakan Calhanoglu is the first player booked by Michael Oliver as he barrels over Jude Bellingham 20 yards from goal.

3:40 p.m. — Curtis Jones strikes the crossbar! Inter dance on the ball down the left wing, and a cutback to the penalty spot finds the former Liverpool midfielder.

At first, Jones is tackled and dispossessed, but he finds the locates ball with his back to goal, and on the 180-degree turn, fires a shot with his left foot that clips the top of the woodwork and flies over! That's very nearly a gorgeous goal for Inter!

3:27 p.m. — OH NO! JOSEP MARTINEZ HAS GIFTED FEDERICO VALVERDE A SECOND! IT'S AN ABSOLUTE HOWLER FROM THE INTER GOALKEEPER!

He gets a back-pass from Benjamin Pavard and the ball bobbles under his feet, and with Valverde pressuring, he tries to flick the ball backwards through his own feet, but it gets stuck, and Valverde just tackles it off him and into the back of the net!

Two goals for Real Madrid, and they've both come off horrific errors by Inter! The Bernabeu sharks are circling!

Watch Valverde goal in USA:

HIGHLIGHT: Watch Valverde goal in UK

3:24 p.m. — Only a brilliant tackle from Benjamin Pavard on Vinicius Jr. prevented Real Madrid from scoring a second! Yet another error in possession by Inter sees a Madrid superstar streaking towards goal, and Vini had split the defenders perfectly, but Pavard came sliding in and poked the ball free at the last moment!

Vini went down calling for a penalty, but Michael Oliver waved it away, and a replay showed that Pavard indeed touched the ball away with a brilliant last-ditch effort!

3:20 p.m. — Thibaut Courtois makes another big save! After a foul just outside the penalty area by Brahim Diaz, Hakan Calhanoglu absolutely pummels the free-kick, a howitzer that blazes through the wall and finds the goal net, but Courtois reacts extremely well to the blistering effort and parries it out of danger! That's world-class goalkeeping!

3:18 p.m. — CURTIS JONES IS CAUGHT IN POSSESSION, AND KYILAN MBAPPE IS OFF THE MARK IN HIS OPENING GAME! IT'S A TOTAL GIFT OF A GOAL!

Dribbling towards his own net, the former Liverpool midfielder panics under minimal pressure and plays a hospital ball back to Yann Bisseck who can't control the weak feed, and the poor first touch falls right to Brahim Diaz. The Moroccan brilliantly thinks quickly, feeding an immediate vertical ball through to Mbappe for a sliding vertical finish!

Jose Mourinho's side have been under pressure all game, but they pounce lightning-quick on the Inter error and go in front!

Watch Mbappe goal in USA:

Kylian Mbappé picking up right where he left off 😮‍💨

HIGHLIGHT: Watch Mbappe goal in UK

3:17 p.m. — Trent Alexander-Arnold nearly gifts Inter a goal as he passes the ball straight to Lautaro Martinez, but the Argentine's shot is too central, and is saved well down low by Thibaut Courtois!

3:15 p.m. — It's been all Inter Milan to start this match, as the Italian side has gone on the attack throughout. It almost results in an own-goal as Andy Diouf delivers a low, fizzed cross that Dean Huijsen puts out past his own post for a corner, but only just, as it skids dangerously wide of the woodwork!

3:04 p.m. — They're under way at the Bernabeu! Kickoff was delayed slightly, after prematch ceremonies included giving trophies to Champions League award winners Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler, the former for top goal scorer and the latter for "Revelation of the Season."

The Real Madrid fans loudly chant Mbappe's name as he lifts the trophy above his head, which is notable considering how the Bernabeu has received the Frenchman in the past — at times, coldly.

2:45 p.m. — Lautaro Martinez had started the season slow for Inter, but he got off the mark with a critical brace in the 3-2 win over Napoli on the weekend. Will he keep it going for the Italian side today against Real Madrid? The Inter front office know just how critical he is to their success!

The match starts in just a few minutes!

🚨⚫️🔵 Inter president Marotta: “Lautaro Martínez didn’t want to have any approach or discussions with Barcelona”.

“Also on club to club side, it was impossible to have any negotiation as Lautaro is a top player, we need him if we want to win titles”.

2:30 p.m. — Mourinho immediately answered our last question, with regards to Brahim Diaz vs. Yan Diomande on the right wing. The Real Madrid boss hinted that Diomande has needed time to get going with the squad, having arrived on transfer deadline day.

He confirmed that Diaz is a more progressive player and less out-and-out attacking, a job which Arda Guler has taken to well, hence his start in this situation.

"I’m starting Brahim because he’s a more associative player, he can play deep a bit more, like Arda," Mourinho said in his pre-match media availability.

2:15 p.m. — With Trent in midfield, there's one Jose Mourinho lineup selection that's being overlooked, and that's Brahim Diaz at right wing. Arda Guler has been playing there through the early part of the season so far, with Yan Diomande coming off the bench. Mourinho going with Diaz probably says less about Guler than it does about Diomande, who many would have expected to be the guy with Guler given midweek rest. You wonder where the 19-year-old stands right now with Mourinho given he was passed over for the starting job today.

The youngster was nominated for the Kopa Trophy earlier today with France Football announcing their nominees for all the Ballon d'Or-adjacent awards.

🙌 ¡Yan Diomande, nominado al trofeo Talento Joven del Año 2026!

2 p.m. — Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield for Real Madrid is a fascinating prospect to watch today. Many fans in England would tell you it's a lost cause, but Mourinho has clearly seen something that makes him think it's a worthwhile attempt.

While this game has big-name appeal, there are still very few real stakes to matches this early in the Champions League, so it's the right time for Mourinho to experiment a little.

From the source 🚨 BREAKING: Real Madrid's double pivot vs Inter Milan could be TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD with Fede Valverde! @AlbertoPereiro

1:45 p.m. — Lineups are in, and what a shock we've got! We will see confirmation when they take the field, but it looks as if Jose Mourinho has gone with Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield, as there is no Eduardo Camavinga or Aurelien Tchouameni in the XI.

For Inter, there's one surprise as Manuel Akanji doesn't start at the back, replaced by Benjamin Pavard.

1:30 p.m. — Kylian Mbappe made headlines before the match as he answered a question about his pressing abilities. He was asked whether he should be considered the best player in the world when other players such as Raphinha or Ousmane Dembele press more than he does.

While nobody questions his goal scoring record, pressing has been a consistent question about Mbappe's skill set — and with that, effort. Mbappe, in his answer, leaned on his goal scoring record to prove his worth in response to the question, which is an interesting referendum on his mentality.

1:15 p.m. — Real Madrid are likely to have Aurelien Tchouameni back today from his muscle injury, as he has returned to training ahead of what is expected to be his season debut. Eduardo Camavinga has began the year at the No. 6 position, but will likely take a seat on the bench unless Touchameni needs ramp-up time as a substitute before he's ready to start.

1 p.m. — Welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of Real Madrid vs. Inter! It is the first matchday of league phase play in the UEFA Champions League, where two European giants look to get their continental campaign off on the right foot.

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