“We can’t crap our pants,” Deniz Undav had insisted and Stuttgart did not but nor did they beat Europe’s most terrifying, seemingly indestructible team. Because if the striker was right to say that “if you fear Real Madrid because it’s Real Madrid, you needn’t even fly”, if he had his moment, heading the goal that promised an even more memorable night, and if his team carried the fight on their return to the Champions League fifteen years later, the result remained the same. It is one thing not to be overawed, even to outplay, another to actually win against the club that consider this competition their own.
For much an enjoyable night of 37 shots and wide open spaces, Stuttgart were better than their illustrious opponents. Their coach Sebastian Hoeness described this an an “unforgettable” occasion, a “fascinating game with lots of chances” to which they had “contributed”, showing “our courage and our football”. They went to the most emblematic arena of all and went behind to Kylian Mbappé’s first European goal for Madrid. But Undav equalised with twenty minutes remaining, Stuttgart had gone in search of more and they might have got it too.
In the end, though, Real Madrid are, well, Real Madrid and so it was that with seven minutes left Antonio Rüdiger’s header from a corner tilted this their way. And, with Stuttgart still throwing everything at them, teenager Endrick raced free in added time to end it, wrapping up a 3-1 home win.
“To think about winning might seem exaggerated but we will be brave,” Hoeness had said, and he was right – on both counts. The game was not even two minutes old when Thibaut Courtois made the first of six saves, blocking’s Jamie Leweling’s shot. That effort was the culmination of a move that began at the feet of the Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, Madrid cut open on the right; it was also a declaration of intent.
Stuttgart dominated those opening moments; on ten minutes, the possession stats said 72% in their favour. On twenty, it was 70%. It would even out – the final figure was 54% – but Courtois had come to Madrid’s rescue three times already and he would have to do so again. Enzo Millot steered a one on one wide, Leweling was denied, so too Millot, and a superb exchange involving Chris Führich and Undav left Angelo Stiller alone in front of goal, unable to finish a move he had started. Whistles from the stands spoke of Madrid’s frustrations. Except this is kind of what they do, a story told before.
And, as it turned out, the closest that Stuttgart came was as the beast began to to stir, a sprint from Vinícius Júnior, a burst from Mbappé and a run from Rodrygo all serving as a warning before Undav’s shot looped off Aurélien Tchouaméni and hit the bar. Half an hour had gone by fast; this was fun. Madrid then got a penalty, only for the referee to be called to the VAR screen where, with Jude Bellingham waiting on the spot, he saw that Stiller’s swipe had not actually made contact with Rüdiger.
There was another opening for Millot, Courtois again saving, and Bellingham’s ball which might have set Mbappé away. Madrid were definitely in it now and, although there were still no first half goals, it took just just twenty second half seconds for one to arrive. A tidy move released Rodrygo up the right and he set up Mbappé to sidefoot into an open net for his 49th Champions League goal. It might have been 50 soon after. This time, Nübel saved.
Vinícius then struck the bar and it felt like the die was cast. And yet Stuttgart were not prepared to let this simply slip away, rightly convinced of their ability to continue cutting through Madrid. Leweling drew two saves from Courtois in three minutes. Next he dashed free but failed to bend the final pass beyond Rüdiger into the space beyond. Then he passed up a glorious chance, fed by Atakan Karazor.
The frustration could be felt but was gone fast. From Fabian Rieder’s corner, the ball reached Leweling at the far post. He controlled on his chest superbly and volleyed back across the six-yard box for Undav to head the equaliser. Fortune had favoured the brave, if only for a little while, Rüdiger and Endrick ending their hopes. For Stuttgart it had certainly been worth getting on the flight, their coach declaring he was proud of players who never backed down and their fans singing as the rest of this stadium emptied. They had enjoyed their return; some fates though are unavoidable.
