Kylian Mbappe climbed to joint-fifth on the all-time Champions League and European Cup scoring list as Real Madrid beat Inter Milan.
The France captain opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a clinical finish from just inside the box. The goal was Mbappe’s 71st in 99 appearances in the competition, putting him level with Real Madrid great Raul. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema have scored more goals in the competition. Cristiano Ronaldo leads the list with 140 goals, followed by Messi on 129, Lewandowski on 109 and Benzema on 90.
Real doubled their advantage in the 23rd minute after a costly error from Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez. The Spanish goalkeeper lost possession following a back pass from Benjamin Pavard. Real captain Federico Valverde took advantage, dispossessing Martinez before tapping the ball into an empty net. Martinez redeemed himself shortly before half-time with two excellent saves. He denied Mbappe and Jude Bellingham in quick succession before Inter were also saved by the post.
Inter had started the match strongly, forcing Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into saves from Hakan Calhanoglu and Lautaro Martinez. The Italian champions also came close when former Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones struck the crossbar. Real had opportunities to extend their lead, with Bellingham missing a major chance to make it 3-0.
Inter eventually pulled one back in the 77th minute when Carlos Augusto swept the ball home, setting up a tense finish.
Real Madrid held on for the victory, but their performance did little to satisfy their supporters. Fans at the stadium expressed their frustration during the match despite the result, as the record 15-time European champions struggled to completely control the contest.
READ ALSO: https://alo360.net/mctominay-heart-procedure-complete-success/
