Real Madrid face Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League opener at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Los Blancos manager, Jose Mourinho is set for a reunion with the Nerazzurri, who he led to the Champions League triumph in the 2009/10 season.
Teams’ Form And Recent Performances
Real Madrid
Madrid have had a very impressive start to the 2026/27 season until last Friday night where they surprisingly lost 1-0 to Real Betis in a game they dominated.
Los Blancos had recorded three wins out of three matches before then with Espanyol 2-1, Real Sociedad 4-1 and Malaga 4-0 all put to sword by the side led by Mourinho, who took over the team for the second time earlier in the summer.
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Real Madrid will be looking to put the dismal loss at the Benito Villamarín Stadium aside as they host Inter in one of the most historic fixtures in Europe’s premier competition.
Inter Milan
Inter began their Serie A title defence with an emphatic 4-1 victory over newly-promoted AC Monza before seeing off Cagliari 1-0 in their next match.
The Nerazzurri then staged a stunning comeback to defeat last season’s runners-up Napoli 3-2 at the Guizeppe Meazza Stadium over the weekend to end the matchweek three joint-top in the standings.
Inter, currently coached by Christian Chivu, one of Mourinho’s trusted stars in the black and blue colours, will now turn attention towards the competition they last won 16 years ago where Real Madrid will be awaiting them in the opener.
Head-To-Head Statistics
Real Madrid and Inter have met on 19 occasions with Los Blancos recording most victories with 10, while their Italian counterparts have seven with two games ending in draws.
Both teams last clashed in the 2021/22 Champions League group stages where Madrid clinched a home-and-away victory.
Inter are still looking for their first win against the Spanish giants in the current millennium, having lost four straight – including the previous three without scoring – to Los Blancos since a 3-1 victory in 1998.
Key Players Analysis
Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe has taken the new season by storm having scored four goals in as many games off the back of a very impressive 2025/26 season where he won La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup golden boots.
The 27-year-old plays as an explosive, versatile forward and is known for his blistering pace, elite dribbling, and clinical finishing.
Jude Bellingham
Bellingham is also one of Real Madrid’s attacking forces having contributed five goals (two goals and three assists) so far for the Spanish giants.
The England international is a dynamic, box-to-box midfielder known for his exceptional ball control, physicality and intelligence in exploiting space.
Inter Milan
Lautaro Martinez
Following a World Cup final heartbreak with Argentina, Martinez netted his first and second goals of the campaign in Inter’s comeback victory over Napoli.
The 29-year-old is a complete, tenacious and hard-working centre-forward, who is known for his elite movement, pressing, and clinical finishing inside the box.
Hakan Calhanoglu
Calhanoglu has been immense for the Nerazzurri so far this campaign by contributing in attack and also being diligent in the middle of the park.
The 32-year-old Turkish star is a deep-lying playmaker, who dictates the tempo of the game from the base of midfield, using high tactical intelligence to transition play
Team News
Real Madrid
Real Madrid are missing three players due to bans from last season: Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler, and Bernardo Silva.
To make matters worse in midfield, Aurelien Tchouameni is doubtful to start owing to an injury, thus Jude Bellingham may drop deeper to join Federico Valverde in the double pivot.
Eder Militao (hamstring), Rodrygo (knee), Ferland Mendy (hamstring), and Raul Asencio (tibia) are also out, although Thiago Pitarch (knee), Endrick (muscle), and Marc Cucurella (calf) all trained on Monday.
Also Read: OFFICIAL: Real Madrid Sign Dutch Defender Dumfries From Inter Milan
Mourinho was particularly asked about Endrick during his pre-match press conference, but he confirmed that the Brazilian will only be available for five or ten minutes on Tuesday.
Inter Milan
On matchday one, Inter will be without star defender Federico Dimarco, who is sidelined as a precaution due to a slight knee injury he picked up in the win over Napoli.
Sticking with the subject of full-back blows, new acquisition Djed Spence is still working his way back to fitness following an unknown injury and may not be risked just yet.
Chivu’s substitutes changed the game against Napoli, notably Curtis Jones, who was praised by the Italian media as the Romanian tactician is under pressure to bring the ex-Liverpool man into the starting lineup at the expense of Petar Sucic.
Thuram’s equaliser against Napoli may also earn him a start over Pio Esposito, while Hakan Calhanoglu should be vying for Piotr Zielinski’s midfield position.
Possible Starting Line-Ups
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1):
Courtois; Dumfries, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Bellingham, Valverde; Diomande, Diaz, Vinicius Jr; Mbappe
Inter Milan (3-5-2):
J. Martinez; Bastoni, Bisseck, Akanji; Diouf, Barella, Jones, Calhanoglu, Augusto; L. Martinez, Thuram
