Real Madrid 3-1 Stuttgart: Rudiger and Endrick goals give holders nervy win

Real Madrid started their Champions League title defence with a hard-fought 3-1 home win over Stuttgart on Tuesday, with late goals from Antonio Rudiger and Endrick guiding them to victory.

Last season’s Bundesliga runners-up Stuttgart were arguably the better side for long periods at a sold-out Santiago Bernabeu stadium, threatening a huge upset of the 15-time European champions.

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a string of critical saves to keep Madrid level, keeping out Jamie Leweling and Angelo Stiller before half-time.

Dani Carvajal also diverted a Deniz Undav shot against his own crossbar as Los Blancos rode their luck, but Kylian Mbappe drew first blood shortly after the restart, finishing from close range after Rodrygo led a quick counterattack.

Stuttgart refused to go away, though, and they looked like clinching a famous result when Undav equalised in the 68th minute, heading Leweling’s cross home when totally unmarked at the far post.

However, yet another Madrid late show in Europe saw them snatch all three points, Rudiger heading Luka Modric’s corner home in the 83rd minute.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side then made sure of the result in stoppage time, Endrick catching Alexander Nubel out from range to score his first Champions League goal.

1 – At 18 years and 58 days, Endrick Felipe has become the youngest player to score for Real Madrid in the history of the Champions League, surpassing Raúl González Blanco’s previous record against Ferencvárosi TC in 1995 (hat-trick at the age of 18 years and 113 days). Star. pic.twitter.com/KybTP5GeCD

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 17, 2024

Data Debrief: Blancos draw on blend of youth and experience

Two players at opposite ends of the age spectrum helped Madrid get over the line after an energetic Stuttgart side threatened to make major headlines at the Bernabeu.

Modric came off the bench with Los Blancos toiling at 1-1, quickly teeing up Rudiger’s go-ahead goal with an expertly taken corner-kick.

At the age of 39 years and eight days, he is the third-oldest player to record an assist in the Champions League, after Ryan Giggs (39 years, 363 days in 2013 for Manchester United versus Bayer Leverkusen) and Amadeo Carboni (39 years, 176 days in 2004 for Valencia against Werder Bremen).

Endrick, meanwhile, became the youngest South American to net on his Champions League debut, at the age of 18 years and 58 days.