Real Madrid face Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday in the opening match of this season's Champions League league phase, with José Mourinho returning to European competition in his second spell as Madrid manager — a competition that eluded him during his first tenure at the club. The match carries additional narrative weight for striker Kylian Mbappé, who has appeared in ten consecutive Champions League seasons across Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid without lifting the trophy, scoring 70 goals along the way. Madrid head into the tie having just suffered their first defeat of the Mourinho era — a 1-0 La Liga loss to Real Betis on Friday — while Inter arrive in form after a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Napoli at the weekend, sealed by a last-minute Lautaro Martínez goal.