Jose Mourinho opens his second Champions League campaign in charge of Real Madrid against the club he won it with, on the ground where he won it.

Mourinho lifted the 2010 trophy with Inter at the Bernabeu, and that night Cristian Chivu started that final for him. Sixteen years on they sit in opposite dugouts for matchday one of the league phase, and the timing is awkward for the host.

Madrid's perfect start to La Liga ended on Saturday, beaten 1-0 at Betis with Kylian Mbappe missing a stoppage-time penalty, while Inter came from two down to beat Napoli 3-2 and stay perfect after three.

Before we get to the full preview, the key details:

Competition: UEFA Champions League, league phase, matchday 1

Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Date: Wednesday 9 September 2026

Start Time: 5:00am AEST

Quick Picks

Our Pick: Win-Draw-Win: Real Madrid

Same Game Multi: Win-Draw-Win: Real Madrid + Half-Time Result: Real Madrid + Over/Under Goals: Over Goals.

Alternative Pick: Both Teams To Score: Yes

If you are newer to the market, our guide on what win-draw-win means is worth a read before you back it.

Real Madrid vs Inter Milan Form and Head to Head

The Betis defeat stung more for how it happened than what it cost. Madrid had the ball, made the chances, and lost to a Troy Parrott goal nine minutes from time before Mbappe hit the post from the spot. 

Before that they'd won five of six in all competitions, including a 4-0 over Malaga at home, and the Bernabeu was a fortress in Europe last season with five wins from seven.

Inter arrive unbeaten in 15 and having scored in every one of them. Lautaro Martinez's late double against Napoli made it nine points from nine in Serie A.

The caveat is their last Champions League stretch: five defeats in their final six matches, ending with a play-off exit to Bodo/Glimt. On the road they've won three and drawn three of the last six, so they travel with confidence rather than form against elite opposition.

The head to head is one-sided. Madrid have won the last four Champions League meetings, eight goals to two, the most recent a 2-0 at the Bernabeu in December 2021. Twelve wins from their last 13 against Italian sides in the competition tells the same story from a wider angle.

Real Madrid vs Inter Milan Team News

Mourinho is without Aurelien Tchouameni, Ferland Mendy, Raul Asencio, Endrick and Rodrygo, who is out long-term with a cruciate injury.

Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga should anchor the midfield, with Arda Guler and Jude Bellingham behind Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. Mbappe sits on 70 Champions League goals, one behind Raul's club record.

Inter are close to full strength, with Djed Spence the only absentee. Expect the familiar 3-5-2 with Barella, Zielinski and Sucic in the middle, Dimarco and Diouf at wing-back, and Lautaro alongside Francesco Pio Esposito. Hakan Calhanoglu is fit but not expected to start.

One thing worth watching: Lautaro was already booked against Napoli when he wrestled Rafa Marin to the ground late on, and Simone Sozza let it go.

A European referee on a Tuesday night at the Bernabeu tends to be less forgiving of that kind of thing, and the card markets on this fixture look lively for a reason.

Real Madrid vs Inter Milan Betting Markets

The goals markets are where the trends stack up. Over Goals has landed in each of Madrid's last eight Champions League Tuesday home games, both teams have scored in each of the last ten, and Madrid's home games this season are averaging 3.8 goals.

Inter's run of scoring in 15 straight matches makes the both-teams-to-score line look sound even in defeat.

Beyond match result and totals, half-time result pairs naturally with a Madrid win given how they tend to start at home in Europe, and the anytime goalscorer market has obvious candidates on both sides.

Card markets are worth a look given the Lautaro situation. For the latest Real Madrid vs Inter Milan odds, check out the dedicated page at Sportsbet.

Real Madrid vs Inter Milan Prediction

Real Madrid to win . Mourinho will want a response to Betis, he has the two most dangerous transition players in the competition to deliver it, and Inter's wing-back shape gives Mbappe and Vinicius the space they thrive in.

Inter will score, because they always do at the moment, and a 3-2 comeback at San Siro says plenty about their character.

But their last six Champions League games produced five losses, and Madrid's record against them in this competition is four wins out of four. The risk is Inter's midfield control turning this into a slow, chance-starved game like Betis managed. More likely it opens up, and when it does, Madrid have the better finishers. Two-one to the hosts.