Mbappe equals Raul’s Champions League tally as Real Madrid extend home scoring record

Kylian Mbappe moved level with Raul Gonzalez Blanco on 71 Champions League goals as he opened the scoring for Real Madrid against Inter Milan on Tuesday, helping the Spanish side match a historic European scoring run at home.

Mbappe took advantage of hesitation in the Inter defence before winning possession and sending the ball to Brahim Diaz. The Morocco international returned the pass, allowing Mbappe to strike first time with a low shot into the net in the 14th minute.

The goal was Mbappe’s first in the new Champions League season after he finished as the competition’s leading scorer last term. It also lifted him into the top five of the tournament’s all-time scoring list.

According to Opta, Mbappe’s goal took his Champions League total to 71, putting him level with former Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez Blanco. The pair share fifth place in the competition’s historical rankings.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains the leading scorer in Champions League history with 140 goals. Lionel Messi is second on 129, followed by Robert Lewandowski on 109 and Karim Benzema on 90.

Mbappe’s contribution carried significance beyond his personal milestone, with his strike also preserving Real Madrid’s extraordinary record in European matches at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Statistics account MisterChip reported that Real Madrid had scored in 44 consecutive European home matches, matching their own all-time club record. The two runs have come almost back-to-back, with the club finding the net in 88 of their past 89 European fixtures at home since 27 September 2011.

The only match during that period in which Real Madrid failed to score on home soil came against CSKA Moscow. They lost that fixture 3-0 in December 2018.

Mbappe’s early finish therefore combined two notable achievements: it brought him level with Raul among the Champions League’s most prolific scorers and ensured Real Madrid continued a remarkable scoring sequence that has endured across European competition.

The French forward’s latest goal further extended his list of landmarks since joining Real Madrid, while the club’s home record remained intact against Inter Milan. Real Madrid’s goal in the 14th minute gave them a 1-0 lead and kept their remarkable sequence alive.