Real Madrid defeats Inter Milan 2-1 in Champions League opener

Real Madrid defeated Inter Milan 2-1 in a Champions League group stage match at the Santiago Bernabeu on September 9, 2026. Despite the result, Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu expressed satisfaction with his team's character and their approach to the game. Chivu noted that his players attempted to dominate the match and maintained their focus despite conceding goals. He specifically highlighted the response of goalkeeper Josep Martinez, who recovered after committing an error that led to the second Real Madrid goal. Inter Milan now looks toward their seven remaining matches in the group phase. Chivu maintains that the performance demonstrated his side's competitiveness at the highest level of European competition.

• 8:00 AMYahoo Sports — Inter Milan manager finds major positive despite Champions League loss to Real Madrid: ‘I’m not at all angry’