Real Madrid vs Stuttgart Prediction: 17/9/2024

Real Madrid will kick off their Champions League title defense tonight, facing a surprise contender from Germany last season. This will also mark Kylian Mbappé’s debut in the competition with Real Madrid, a tournament in which he has often come up short against the same club.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team is hoping for a stronger start in the Champions League than in La Liga, where they opened with a 1-1 draw against Mallorca, followed by two home wins—3-0 over Valladolid and 2-0 against Real Betis. Last weekend, they played away against Real Sociedad, aiming to close the gap with Barcelona, who remain dominant in the league so far.

Stuttgart, who finished third in the Bundesliga last season, were a surprise package under the leadership of Guirassy, though he has since left the club and will not feature in this Champions League campaign. This marks Stuttgart’s return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2009-10 season when they were knocked out in the round of 16 by Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.

Stuttgart’s start to the season has been mixed, with a loss to Bayer Leverkusen on penalties in the German Super Cup and a 3-1 defeat to Freiburg on the Bundesliga’s opening day. They followed that with a 3-3 draw against Mainz but are still searching for their first win. Last weekend, they faced Borussia Mönchengladbach in an effort to turn things around.

Real Madrid is dealing with several injuries, including Joan Martinez, David Alaba (expected back in October), Eduardo Camavinga, and Dani Ceballos (out for two months). Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham, Ferland Mendy, Arda Güler, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Éder Militão were all expected to be part of the squad against Real Sociedad.

Kylian Mbappé, who has scored three goals in his first five matches for Real Madrid, faced criticism from the French press for his central positioning, despite still being a constant threat alongside Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, who was notably excluded from the 30 finalists for the Ballon d’Or.

Stuttgart, on the other hand, is also dealing with absentees, including Al Dakhil and Nartey, while Frenchman Rouault, who registered two assists last season, is out. Fellow Frenchman Dan-Axel Zagadou, who missed games before the international break, played in a recent friendly to gain match fitness.

The team will rely on striker Undav, who permanently transferred from Brighton after scoring 18 goals on loan last season. French international prospect Enzo Millot, who scored five goals in the Bundesliga last season, is also available for Stuttgart.

 

Prediction

Real Madrid has not been involved in a home match with more than 3.5 goals for 42 consecutive games. Stuttgart has also been part of 17 consecutive away matches in the Champions League that featured under 3.5 goals. A closely fought encounter is expected.

Prediction: Real Madrid 1-1 Stuttgart