Real Madrid and Inter Milan face off in Champions League opener

Real Madrid and Inter Milan faced off in a highly anticipated match on the first day of the Champions League. This match marked the kickoff of the 2026-2027 Champions League season, and was aired live on YouTube by RFI on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, with two live broadcasts at 16:10 and 21:10 UTC.

José Mourinho, now leading Real Madrid, had begun his season with a victory against Espanyol Barcelona on August 22, 2026. He returned to the Bernabeu, where he had previously led Inter Milan to a title 16 years earlier, and was once again set to encounter the Nerazzurri, who are guided by Cristian Chivu in his second season at Milan. After being eliminated by Bodö/Glimt in the previous season's qualifiers, the finalists from the 2023 and 2025 editions remained highly competitive in the European landscape. Mourinho’s task was to restore Real Madrid to the top, especially after the team had suffered a recent defeat in their league campaign.

In other matches on the same day, Lille was under pressure to secure a victory against Real Betis. The team coached by Davide Ancelotti was taking on Manuel Pellegrini’s squad, which had recently defeated Real Madrid just four days prior and was building momentum in La Liga. For Lille, winning at home was essential to gain traction in the season.

Additionally, Manchester City faced a challenging trip to Porto. The Dragons, led by Francesco Farioli, had started their season early and were demonstrating solid team cohesion. The 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or 2026 were expected to be announced, raising questions about who would emerge victoriously in this prestigious award. Kylian Mbappé, touted for his outstanding World Cup scoring record, expressed his confidence despite lacking a collective trophy, while Bayern's Harry Kane, a favorite after winning the Soulier d'Or 2026, was also in contention. The list was set to feature prominent players from the recent World Cup victors, including the newly signed Barcelona captain, Rodri, who won recognition in 2024, and Lamine Yamal, the 19-year-old World Champion.

Annie Gasnier led a discussion about the nominees with panelists Manu Terradillos, Étienne Moatti, and Nicolas Vilas, exploring who had the best chances for the award. Laurent Salerno managed the technical aspects of the broadcast, while David Fintzel oversaw editorial decisions, with Pierre Guérin coordinating the production.