Real Madrid vs Inter Milan: Match preview | UEFA Champions League | OneFootball

Real Madrid get their 2026-27 Champions League campaign underway on Tuesday with their opening league phase fixture against Inter Milan. Jose Mourinho’s side will be desperate to claim La Decimosexta come next June, but in order to do so, they must give themselves the best chance by finishing inside the top 8 in this first stage.

Thus, it is important that Real Madrid get off to a winning start, especially since they are at home. They start as big favourites, and they do have a fantastic recent record against their Italian opponents, whom they have defeated in their previous four meetings.

Real Madrid may have failed to score in their defeat to Real Betis on Friday, but they will need their big guns to be firing against Inter. Kylian Mbappe has a fantastic record in the Champions League since joining two years ago, and he will hope to build on the four goals he has scored so far this season.

Inter have dangermen of their own

Real Madrid’s defence has not been at its best in the opening weeks of the season, but it will need to be better if Inter are to be nullified. The Nerazzurri have plenty of attacking threat, with the likes of Pio Esposito, Federico Dimarco and Andy Diouf expected to act as foil for the talismanic figure of Lautaro Martinez.

Mourinho may decide to call upon Antonio Rudiger for this match, given his excellent record of performing well in big matches. It is important that Real Madrid nullify the threat of Martinez, Dimarco and co, given they will fancy their chance of scoring with Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham or another of their own attacking talent.

It will be very interesting to see how Real Madrid get on in their Champions League opener against Inter, which takes place at the Bernabeu at 9pm CEST.