Mbappé Shines as Real Madrid Defeats Inter in Champions League

Kylian Mbappé has started the season like a man in a hurry. Different campaign, same story: he scores, Real Madrid win.

On Tuesday night, Inter Milan were the latest to feel the full weight of his form. Five games into the 2026-27 season, five goals. This one came on Europe’s biggest stage, and it arrived with the ruthless simplicity that has become his trademark.

Fourteen minutes gone, Curtis Jones hesitated in midfield and paid for it. Real swarmed, Brahim Díaz pounced, and in a heartbeat Mbappé was away. One touch to set, one touch to finish, drilled first-time past Josep Martínez with the kind of certainty that drains belief from opponents.

It was his 71st goal in the UEFA Champions League, enough to pull him level with Raúl in fifth place on the all-time list. Raúl, the symbol of an earlier Real Madrid era, now has company from the club’s current superstar. Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 140 still looms in the distance, but nights like this make the chase feel less fanciful.

Inter barely had time to reset before Madrid tightened their grip.

Nine minutes after the opener, Martínez turned from victim to culprit. A routine situation spun into disaster as the Inter goalkeeper misjudged his touch under pressure. Federico Valverde read it quicker than anyone, slid in, and poked the ball away and into the net. No finesse, just ferocious commitment and a 2-0 lead.

From there, Real Madrid did what 15-time European champions are expected to do: manage the game, control the tempo, and pick their moments. Inter worked their way back into the contest, forced Madrid deeper, and finally found a late lifeline to make it 2-1, but the damage had been done in that blistering opening spell.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side did not sparkle for the full 90 minutes. They did not need to. With Mbappé in this kind of mood and a squad drilled in the art of closing out European nights, the early blows were enough.

One match into the new Champions League season, Real Madrid have their first win, their new talisman has another record in his sights, and the familiar question returns: who is going to stop them?