Late drama at the Bernabeu: Real Madrid overcome Stuttgart in style
Real Madrid players celebrate their victory
Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga
Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart in a thrilling UEFA Champions League encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.
The game delivered an action-packed 90 minutes, with both teams showcasing moments of brilliance, but it was the hosts who ultimately came out on top with late goals.
The match began with Stuttgart asserting early pressure on Real Madrid‘s defence. In the 3rd minute, Jamie Leweling found himself with a great opportunity inside the box, but his measured shot aimed at the left side of the goal was expertly saved by Madrid’s goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, who had a stellar performance throughout the night.
Stuttgart continued their relentless attacks, and in the 9th minute, Enzo Millot came agonizingly close to scoring, missing from close range with his shot narrowly wide of the right post.
Millot had another chance in the 14th minute, bending a shot from the edge of the box, but Courtois remained untroubled, making a comfortable save to keep the scores level.
As the first half progressed, Real Madrid found their rhythm. In the 25th minute, Kylian Mbappe had a golden opportunity to put the Spanish giants ahead, but his powerful strike from outside the penalty area was brilliantly parried by Stuttgart’s goalkeeper, Alexander Nubel.
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Despite Stuttgart’s early dominance, Real Madrid took the lead just after the break. In the 46th minute, Rodrygo whipped the ball across the area to Kylian Mbappe, who slotted it into an empty net to make it 1-0.
Stuttgart, however, refused to back down. In the 68th minute, Deniz Undav capitalized on a defensive lapse by Madrid, heading the ball into an open goal to equalise, bringing the score to 1-1.
With the game approaching its final stages, Real Madrid regained control. In the 83rd minute, veteran Luka Modric sent in a perfect corner, and Antonio Rudiger rose highest to plant a bullet header past Nubel, restoring Madrid’s lead at 2-1.
The hosts sealed their victory deep into stoppage time. In the 95th minute, substitute Endrick unleashed a long-range rocket that flew into the bottom right corner, leaving Nubel helpless and securing a 3-1 win for Real Madrid.
The result leaves Real Madrid in a strong position in their Champions League campaign, while Stuttgart, despite their valiant efforts, will need to regroup ahead of their next fixture.
