Soccer Football - Champions League - Real Madrid v VfB Stuttgart - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - September 17, 2024 Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger scores their second goal REUTERS/Juan Medina
MADRID (Reuters) -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.
Stuttgart were arguably the superior side at a sold-out Santiago Bernabeu stadium, with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois having to make a string of critical saves to deny efforts by the German side.
