Real Madrid 3-1 Stuttgart: Player ratings as late flurry spares Blancos’ blushes, Mbappe fires 1st UCL goal for Real Madrid

Real Madrid got their defence of their Champions League crown off to an unconvincing start, scraping a 3-1 win over Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Stuttgart could have easily had three or four in a dominant first half, but it was Kylian Mbappe who opened the scoring for Madrid just seconds after the break

Deniz Undav netted a deserved equaliser and it appeared as though Stuttgart’s performance would deliver the point it merited at the very least, only for Antonio Rudiger’s late header to change the tide of the game

With Stuttgart throwing everything forward, Endrick was on hand to fire home a third with the last kick of the game, creating a scoreline which by no means reflected the true story of the match.

How the game unfolds 

Stuttgart made a lively start to the game and forced Thibaut Courtois into a smart save inside four minutes, and Enzo Millot perhaps should have scored soon after. The winger got in behind but could only drag his shot wide.

Kylian Mbappe fired straight at Alexander Nubel as Madrid desperately tried to turn the tide of the game, but Stuttgart kept coming and Courtois once again had to stretch to deny Millot from range.

Courtois could be seen screaming at his porous defence as Stuttgart once again strolled through. This time, the Belgian had to deny Angelo Stiller with Stuttgart’s fourth shot on target inside 20 minutes.

The hosts managed to slow things down temporarily but Stuttgart kept coming and Undav saw a deflected strike loop up on to Courtois’ crossbar and behind for a corner.

Against the run of play, Madrid were awarded a penalty when Antonio Rudiger went down in the box, but a quick VAR check decided there was not enough contact to send the German to the ground and the decision was overruled, ensuring the first half ended goalless – much to Stuttgart’s understandable dismay.

Just seconds after the restart, Madrid were ahead. Rodrygo got in behind and squared for Mbappe, who could hardly miss from six yards out.

Vinicius crashed against the bar from the edge of the box and Stuttgart had to weather a storm, but the Germans finally got the goal they needed as Undav headed home unmarked, with Courtois never given a chance.

The equaliser gave Stuttgart some renewed confidence and the visitors started flying once again, but Rudiger’s header from a smart Luka Modric corner saw Madrid scrape themselves ahead with five minutes to go.

Stuttgart continued to throw everything forwards but were caught on the counter with one last strike from Endrick, whose fizzing effort somehow squeezed through Nubel and into the back of the net.