
The Champions League makes a welcome return this week, with Matchday 1 of the 2026-27 season and, with it, some massive games in the opening round of the group phase.
None more so than at the Bernabéu, where José Mourinho welcomes his former side Inter Milan to the capital for a huge clash between Real Madrid and the Italian champions.
They are two of Europe's biggest clubs, both of whom will be aiming for Champions League glory this season, and over the years some of the biggest names in the game have played for both European heavyweights.
DAZN News picks out the best names to have starred for both Real and the Nerazzurri.
The man with the most dangerous thighs in football history began his European career in Italy with Inter when he arrived from Brazil in 1995.
However, the legendary full-back only lasted a season in Milan, despite scoring on his debut for the club. With boss Roy Hodgson seemingly seeing Carlos as a winger rather than a left-back, the player decided to move to Real Madrid after just a year in Serie A.
At the Bernabéu, he would establish himself as one of the Galácticos of Madrid and the best left-back in the world, winning four La Ligas and three Champions League gongs for the club.
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Renowned as one of the greatest strikers of all time, Ronaldo arrived at Inter for a world record fee of £25 million in 1997 from Barcelona and, whilst in Milan, hit his all-time peak.
He hit 25 goals in his first season with the club, winning the Player of the Year in Serie A and helping the club win the UEFA Cup with a trademark goal in the final.
A Ballon d'Or followed the following year before injury struck and the Brazilian was ruled out for the best part of three seasons.
Following his recovery, he moved to Real Madrid and found his magical touch once again, scoring 104 goals for the Spanish side in a spell that saw him win La Liga twice.
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The cultured Portuguese midfielder controversially signed for Real Madrid from Barcelona in 2000, much to the chagrin of the Catalan fans. So much so, on his first trip back to the Nou Camp, Figo received such a hostile reception that even a pig's head was famously thrown in the direction of the former Barça star.
Nevertheless, Figo went on to be a huge face of Madrid's Galáctico era, winning two La Liga titles and the Champions League.
After five seasons, he moved to Milan and was part of the Nerazzurri's domination of the era as they recorded four Scudettos in a row.
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One of three Dutch stars to arrive at Real in the summer of 2007, alongside Royston Drenthe and Arjen Robben, Sneijder made an immediate impact by scoring the winner in the Madrid derby.
It was the start of a season where he'd help the Spanish giants retain their La Liga crown and become an integral part of the Madrid side.
The midfielder moved to Inter after two seasons and was part of the famous Nerazzurri side that won the treble in 2010, including the Champions League victory.
GettyStill the only man to have won the Champions League with three different clubs, one of those victories came during his spell at Real Madrid.
Part of the famous Ajax side that conquered Europe in the early 90s, he moved to Spain in 1996 and won a La Liga title as well as the Champions League two years later.
After four seasons, he moved to Inter, where he spent two seasons and became a big fan favourite...until his move to city rivals Milan.
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