Mbappe Joins Champions League Elite AGAIN as Real Madrid Crush Inter Milan

France captain, Kylian Mbappe succeeded in writing his name as the fifth all-time Champions League and European Cup scorer as Real Madrid defeated Inter Milan.

The 27 year old opened the scoring for Jose Mourinho's side in the 14th minute.

He finished clinically from inside the box to register his 71st Champions League goal in 99 appearances.

That moved Mbappe level with three-time Real Madrid Champions League winner Raul, who also scored 71 goals but needed 142 appearances to reach the tally.

Only four players have scored more goals in the competition:

1. Karim Benzema (90),
2. Robert Lewandowski (109),
3. Lionel Messi (129) and
4. Cristiano Ronaldo (140).

Real Madrid Punished by Inter Mistake

Mbappe's opener came with Real's first attempt on target, and their next effort produced another goal nine minutes later.

Inter goalkeeper, Josep Martinez made a costly mistake after receiving a back pass from Benjamin Pavard.

The Spanish keeper lost possession under pressure, allowing Real captain Federico Valverde to dispossess him before calmly tapping the ball over the line to make it 2-0 in the 23rd minute.

Martinez, however, recovered from his error before half-time.

The goalkeeper produced a double save to deny Mbappe and Jude Bellingham before the post came to Inter's rescue as Real continued to threaten.

Courtois Reaches Champions League Milestone

Inter had started the match brightly and forced Real goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois into action.

Courtois, making his 100th Champions League appearance, kept out efforts from Hakan Calhanoglu and Lautaro Martinez as the Italian champions looked for a way back into the contest.

Inter also came close when former Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones struck the top of the bar.

The Italian side later introduced John Stones, a Champions League winner with Manchester City in 2023, as they continued to push for a comeback.

Bellingham Missed Huge Chances

Real Madrid had several opportunities to put the match beyond Inter, with Bellingham handed a golden chance to make it 3-0.

The England midfielder was unable to take advantage, leaving Inter with hope heading into the final stages.

That hope became real in the 77th minute when Carlos Augusto swept the ball home to reduce the deficit and set up a tense finish between Mourinho's current and former clubs.

Real ultimately held on for the victory.

The result nevertheless gave Real three points while highlighting both their attacking quality and defensive vulnerability in a match that produced chances at both ends.

For Mbappe, the night carried an additional personal milestone as his 71st Champions League goal moved him into joint-fifth place among the competition's all-time leading scorers, alongside Raul.

Player of the Match

Jude Bellingham was named Player of the Match.

Number: 5

(Jude Bellingham)