Kylian Mbappe expressed his joy after scoring on his maiden Champions League appearance for Real Madrid, as the reigning champions commenced their title defense with a 3-1 victory over Stuttgart on Tuesday. Antonio Rudiger headed in the 83rd minute for the record 15-time champions, following Deniz Undav's equalizer just seconds into the second half. Endrick, another debutant in the competition, sealed Madrid's win with a low drive in stoppage time. Stuttgart dominated the entertaining opening period, but Carlo Ancelotti's team, known for their ability to grind out victories under pressure, secured the three points despite the visitors' impressive performance.
"We struggled initially because we lost many duels... the crucial aspect was to secure the win, which we did, so all is well," stated Madrid coach Ancelotti. "You must always fight at the start of the season, especially when you're not at your peak." Mbappe reached five goals for the season in seven appearances across all competitions by scoring the opener as he surged into space at the beginning of the second half. "I know I can achieve more, each game I feel better, and now I'm scoring goals, and I'm content here," Mbappe told Movistar. "The game was tough, but it's the Champions League—it's always challenging, but we won at home, we won the first game," he continued. "What we understand is that the Champions League has evolved, and it's vital to win swiftly to see if we can qualify quickly or not."
This marked a remarkable start to the brand-new Champions League, featuring 36 teams pooled together in one giant league instead of the traditional group stage. Each team now plays eight matches against eight different opponents, with the top eight advancing automatically to the last 16. Those finishing from ninth to 24th will compete in a play-off round to determine the remaining sides in the last 16, while the bottom 12 will be eliminated. UEFA, European football's governing body, introduced the new format to counter the threat of a breakaway Super League by the biggest clubs, but also hopes the changes will revitalize the competition.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa made a strong return to Europe's elite with a convincing 3-0 victory away to Swiss club Young Boys on Tuesday. Youri Tielemans put Villa ahead in the 27th minute of their first game in Europe's top club competition in 41 years, and the Premier League side then dominated on the artificial turf of the Stadion Wankdorf. Villa, European champions in 1982, doubled their lead in the 38th minute with Jacob Ramsey tapping in from close range after poor Young Boys defending. The visitors had goals by Ollie Watkins and substitute Jhon Duran disallowed for handball, but Amadou Onana's late goal underlined their dominance. It was a highly satisfying night for Unai Emery's side, who will face tougher tests against teams like Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Celtic in the competition's new format. Villa's fans, who have long awaited glamorous European nights abroad, were well-rewarded as their team showcased their style. The night was also poignant, with fans singing the name of Villa's European Cup-winning striker Gary Shaw, who passed away on Monday at the age of 63 due to a fall. Shaw was part of the side that defeated Bayern Munich in the 1982 European Cup final and also played in Villa's European Super Cup win over Barcelona the following season.
"First and foremost, this victory is for Gary Shaw," Emery said. "We can follow in the Champions League, winning like they (1982 team) did, and we want to celebrate this victory and dedicate it to Gary Shaw and the Aston Villa family." Since those triumphant days, Villa has experienced difficult times and was in the second tier five years ago, but under Spaniard Emery, they are now competing at their rightful level again. Elsewhere, Juventus defeated PSV Eindhoven 3-1 in Turin, with Kenan Yildiz scoring in style and Weston McKennie and Nicolas Gonzalez also netting. Ismael Saibari pulled one back. Portuguese champions Sporting beat Lille 2-0 at home, with impressive Swedish striker Viktor Gyoekeres on target before a Zeno Debast piledriver. The French side had Angel Gomes sent off.
