Real Madrid started their Champions League title defence with a hard-fought 3-1 home win over Stuttgart on Tuesday thanks to late goals by Antonio Ruediger and teenaged substitute Endrick.

Antonio Rudiger was then on hand to put Madrid back in front with 83 minutes on the clock, but Endrick guaranteed three points in stoppage time when he raced forward. With Mbappe to his left and Vinicius to his right, the under-21 star elected to shoot from distance, finding the back of the net for his first Champions League goal.

Real Madrid’s relatively underwhelming start to the season can only be attributed to a collective failure to step up.One of the few senior players who have played at a high level regardless and