Real Madrid kicked off their Champions League campaign by snagging three crucial points in a wild 2-1 win over Italian champions Inter Milan, a game so chaotic it racked up a total of 4.78 xG. This was exactly the kind of challenging fixture they needed to overcome early in the league phase, and they did it, but not without some serious talking points that have fans buzzing already.
The Pressure Cooker and a Record-Tying Goal
Kylian Mbappé notched his 71st Champions League goal, opening the scoring and tying Raúl González Blanco for fifth highest scorer in the tournament’s history. That’s a massive achievement, right? You’d think so, but it did little to calm fans who are growing frustrated with his poor start to the season. He’s got his sights set on Karim Benzema’s 90 goals, Robert Lewandowski’s 109, Lionel Messi’s 129, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 140. Meanwhile, Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martínez, playing in the Bernabéu for the first time, folded under the pressure. He made a mistake that led to Real Madrid’s second goal, gifting the ball to Fede Valverde. This makes him the 30th goalkeeper in the last 20 years to commit an error leading to a goal against Real Madrid in this competition. That number is double that of the next highest team to benefit in this way, and it just proves some goalkeepers truly cannot handle the mental pressure of facing Real Madrid.
Work Rate, Unsung Heroes, and Historical Wins
While Mbappé faces scrutiny, Vinícius Júnior put in a shift that caught everyone’s attention. He recorded nine possession recoveries, his highest ever in a Champions League game. You have to go all the way back to 2008 to find a Real Madrid striker who made more recoveries at the Bernabéu: Gonzalo Higuaín, 18 years ago! Coach José Mourinho even spoke about Vini’s work rate and determination post-match. And if Mbappé asked whether it was only him and Vini who needed to press in his pre-match press conference, the evidence shows the Brazilian isn’t shying away from his responsibilities. Then there’s Brahim Díaz, making his claim for a starting spot clear in just his second start of the season. Operating unexpectedly on the right flank ahead of star signing Yan Diomande, Díaz created four chances, more than any other player, and three of those were big chances. He grabbed an assist for Mbappé and pulled off magnificent individual work to set up Jude Bellingham, who just couldn’t finish it off. The historical stats also back up the club’s winning mentality: Real Madrid has won 16 of their 17 Champions League home openers.
Real Madrid just snagged those crucial first points of the Champions League. With performances like these from Vini and Díaz, and Mbappé still finding the net despite the noise, this campaign is already looking like it’s going to be a wild ride.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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