Real Madrid secures 3-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart in Champions League opener

Madrid [Spain], September 18 (ANI): Real Madrid (RM), the defending European champions, managed a 3-1 win over VfB Stuttgart (VfB) in their UEFA Champions League opener (UCL) in Madrid on Tuesday.
According to Goal.com, Real Madrid struggled throughout the match, but they still secured the victory. Kylian Mbappe scored the first goal, and Antonio Rudiger netted the second, and a late strike from Endrick secured them a victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The team looked far from their best and remained vulnerable, but the result was ultimately secured.
The German club had the better chances early in the game, with Thibaut Courtois making several key saves.
Stuttgart's Deniz Undav's deflected shot hit the bar in the 28th minute. Real Madrid thought they had a penalty just before halftime when Rudiger was brought down in the box, but the decision was overturned after the referee decided Rudiger had gone down too easily.
The game changed shortly after the break. Real Madrid caught Stuttgart off guard when Aurelien Tchouameni passed to Rodrygo, who then set up Mbappe for a close-range goal.
Stuttgart equalized when Undav headed in from a cross.
Madrid regained their lead because of a header from Rudiger, and a stoppage-time goal from Endrick, who became the youngest Champions League scorer in the club's history, made the final score 3-1.
This season marks the debut of the new UCL format. A total of 36 clubs from Europe's premier football leagues will compete in a league phase, which replaces the traditional group stage. Each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents, with an equal split of home and away fixtures.
Every match's outcome will significantly impact the league table standings. The top eight teams will automatically advance to the UCL round of 16.
Teams finishing between 9th and 24th place will enter a two-legged knockout play-off phase, with the winners securing the remaining eight spots in the round of 16. Teams finishing below 24th will be eliminated from the competition.
According to Olympics.com, the knockout stages will be beginning in February. The grand final is set to be held on May 31, 2025 at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. (ANI)