Haaland and Mbappé Lead Champions League Opening-Night Winners

Erling Haaland scored twice for Manchester City and Kylian Mbappé struck for Real Madrid as the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase opened on Tuesday. UEFA reported that City and Madrid were among six winners on the first night of Matchday 1, alongside Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis and AEK Athens.

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Real Madrid beat Inter 2-1 after taking control early at home. Mbappé finished in the 14th minute before Federico Valverde doubled the advantage nine minutes later by dispossessing goalkeeper Josep Martínez after a back-pass. Carlos Augusto pulled one back from Lautaro Martínez’s cross, but Madrid held on. UEFA named Valverde player of the match and noted that Thibaut Courtois made his 100th Champions League appearance.

Haaland delivered both goals after halftime in Manchester City’s 2-0 victory at Porto. Diogo Costa had kept out Haaland, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki before the break, but Haaland headed in Matheus Nunes’ cross after the restart. He then added a close-range finish in stoppage time from Rayan Aït-Nouri’s pass. According to UEFA, the double took Haaland to 59 goals in 59 Champions League games.

Aston Villa won 3-2 at Club Brugge in a game that produced the first goal of the new campaign. John McGinn scored in the 11th minute, Hugo Vetlesen equalised eight minutes later, and Emiliano Buendía restored Villa’s lead within three minutes. Nicolas Jackson added his first Villa goal before halftime, while Nicolò Tresoldi converted a 61st-minute penalty for Brugge and later hit the post.

Borussia Dortmund also prevailed 3-2, with all five goals against Villarreal arriving in the second half. A Renato Veiga own goal put Dortmund ahead before Santiago Mouriño levelled. Serhou Guirassy then scored twice, including a penalty, and Dortmund survived a late Villarreal response created by a deflected Nicolas Pépé free-kick. In France, Real Betis came from behind to beat Lille 3-2 as Marc Bartra scored two headers and Troy Parrott supplied the winner before Lille’s Ethan Mbappé was sent off.

AEK Athens completed the night’s list of winners with a 1-0 home victory over Champions League debutants LASK. Răzvan Marin’s first-half free-kick proved decisive, while goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli protected the lead during LASK’s improved second-half performance. UEFA said the result was AEK’s first win in the Champions League proper in 20 years.