Real Madrid opened their Champions League defence with a 3-1 win over Stuttgart despite putting up a barely convincing performance.
Carlo Ancelotti’s seemed to lack the familiar sharpness they are known for as they were held to a goalless draw at halftime.
About a minute after the break, Kylian Mbappe, who was debuting for Madrid in the UCL, broke the deadlock back Stuttgart went on to equalize in the 68th-minute courtesy of Deniz Undav.
For some other clubs, the game might have ended that way or in favour of Stuttgart, but as the world of football has come to understand and accept, Real Madrid is not a team to write off in the Champions League!
And true to their fashion, Antonio Rudiger headed in a second goal in the 83rd minute before substitute Endrick tidied things up with a stoppage-time screamer on his debut, to secure all three points for Madrid.
Madrid May have won but their underwhelming performance did not go unnoticed and they’d be hoping to return to full dominance when they visit Lille next week.
In other games of the night, Liverpool bested AC Milan 3 – 1, and Juventus saw off PSV 3 – 1
