Real Madrid faced off against Inter Milan in their first match of the 2026/27 Champions League group stage, held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The match showcased an intense battle, with Inter Milan initially appearing to have the upper hand, creating three consecutive scoring opportunities. However, Real Madrid's goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, and the defense managed to keep a clean sheet.

Despite having fewer shots, Real Madrid capitalized on their chances, scoring two goals in the first half. The opening goal came in the 14th minute when Bisseck lost possession in his own half, allowing Brahim Diaz to set up Kylian Mbappe, who finished clinically to put Madrid ahead. Following the setback, Inter Milan increased their attacking efforts, but Courtois continued to perform admirably in goal.

In the 23rd minute, Real Madrid doubled their lead when Federico Valverde took advantage of a slow reaction from Inter's goalkeeper, Martinez, to score. The first half concluded with both teams creating additional scoring chances, but neither could convert.

As the second half unfolded, Inter Milan pushed for a comeback, leaving gaps in their defense. Real Madrid had at least four clear opportunities to extend their lead, but misses from Jude Bellingham, Mbappe, and Vinicius Junior kept the score at 2-0. Finally, in the 77th minute, Inter Milan found the back of the net when Lautaro Martinez set up Carlos Augusto, who scored to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

Ultimately, Real Madrid held on to secure a 2-1 victory on home soil. The match statistics showed that Real Madrid had 16 shots with 8 on target, while Inter Milan managed 21 shots with 7 on target. The possession was heavily in favor of Inter at 64%, but it was Real Madrid's efficiency that made the difference.

The final score was Real Madrid 2, Inter Milan 1. Goals were scored by Mbappe in the 14th minute and Valverde in the 23rd for Real Madrid, while Augusto scored for Inter Milan in the 77th minute.