Real Madrid lead 2-0 in Champions League opener but still face boos, Mbappe and Valverde score

Real Madrid led Inter Milan 2-0 in their opening match of the Champions League league phase, but Bernabeu fans were not satisfied with the team's performance and even booed while the team held a two-goal lead.

Mbappe and Valverde score early

In the 14th minute, Mbappe opened the scoring after taking advantage of a mistake by Inter centre-back Bisseck. It was his 71st Champions League goal, moving him level with Raul for fifth place in the all-time rankings. In the 23rd minute, Valverde capitalized on a mistake by Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez while playing the ball out from the back to score, giving Real Madrid a 2-0 lead at one point.

Still booed despite the lead, Vinicius receives whistles when substituted

Despite being ahead on the scoreboard, Real Madrid fans were clearly unhappy with the team's style of play. Alexander-Arnold and Vinicius became the main targets of the boos. When Vinicius was substituted in the 88th minute, the whistles from the stands were clearly audible. Inter pulled one goal back in the 77th minute through Carlos Augusto after a Lautaro Martinez pass back, making the final stages of the match tense.

Mbappe responds to defensive questions

At the pre-match press conference, Mbappe was asked about the defensive efforts of himself and Vinicius. He responded that when reminded of what his responsibilities were, he lightly pushed back against that suggestion.

Are Real Madrid truly ready to challenge for the Champions League?

Real Madrid's squad is not ideally suited for high-intensity pressing, but they were highly efficient when committing players in the attacking third in this match. Both goals came from opponent mistakes created by pressure from the front line. Mbappe's pressing forced Bisseck into an error, while Diaz provided a smart through pass for the assist; Valverde used his sprinting effort to force a mistake from the goalkeeper. However, this style of winning clearly has not yet satisfied the Bernabeu.