Real Madrid, Man City kick off with wins as Champions League returns
MADRID: There were goals for Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland; and wins for Real Madrid and Manchester City as the Champions League returned Tuesday for a new season.
Mbappe gave record 15-time champion Madrid an early lead en route to 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Haaland scored both goals as 2023 winner City beat Porto 2-0.
Madrid and City are expected to be among the main challengers to back-to-back defending champion Paris Saint-Germain this season, and each club will be relying on its star strikers.
Mbappe’s goal after 14 minutes was his 71st in European club soccer’s top continental competition and saw him move level with Madrid great Raul in fifth place on the all-time scorers list. Haaland took his tally to 59 in 59 appearances in the Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund beat Villarreal 3-2, and Real Betis won by the same score at Lille.
Aston Villa also won 3-2 over Club Brugge, and AEK Athens had a 1-0 win over LASK.
PSG begins its campaign Wednesday against Slovan Bratislava.
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