Valverde punishes Josep Martinez error as Real Madrid strike twice against Inter

Federico Valverde doubled Real Madrid’s lead against Inter Milan after goalkeeper Josep Martinez was caught in possession during the opening match of both sides’ UEFA Champions League campaigns on Tuesday.

Kylian Mbappe had put Real Madrid ahead in the 14th minute, despite Inter having looked the more likely team to score for much of the early stages. The Italian side were denied by the performance of Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who made a number of important interventions to keep his side level before Mbappe’s breakthrough.

Inter’s second major setback came nine minutes later. Martinez attempted to dribble past Valverde inside his own area, but the Real Madrid midfielder applied intense pressure, won the ball and watched it roll into the net to make it 2-0.

The goal immediately recalled several high-profile goalkeeping errors made against Real Madrid in previous Champions League matches.

One of the most memorable came in the 2018 Champions League final, when Loris Karius was in goal for Liverpool. Karius attempted to release the ball quickly with his hand to a team-mate, but Karim Benzema stretched out a leg as he pressed the goalkeeper and intercepted the pass. The ball travelled directly into the net to give Real Madrid the lead.

Martinez’s mistake also brought to mind an error by Gianluigi Donnarumma in 2022. Donnarumma, now Manchester City’s goalkeeper and previously with Paris Saint-Germain, was playing for the French club when Paris Saint-Germain faced Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Paris Saint-Germain had taken the lead in that match before Real Madrid drew level through Benzema. The equalising goal followed heavy pressure from the French striker, who forced Donnarumma into a disastrous mistake as the goalkeeper fell while attempting to play the ball out.

Donnarumma’s pass went to Vinicius Junior, who then supplied Benzema. The French forward finished the move by striking the ball into the net.

Valverde’s goal against Inter followed a similar pattern: a Real Madrid forward or midfielder pressing aggressively, a goalkeeper attempting to play out under pressure and a defensive error punished immediately. In this case, Valverde’s intervention gave Real Madrid a two-goal advantage after 23 minutes of their European opener.

The incident is available in video footage showing Valverde taking advantage of Martinez’s costly mistake to score Real Madrid’s second goal.

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