The numbers story: Real Madrid – VfB Stuttgart 3:1

Real Madrid secured a 3-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart, but the performance revealed deeper problems, particularly in the first half when the visitors dominated for long periods. Goals from Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rüdiger and Endrick sealed the win, but it was far from a comfortable outing for Los Blancos, who still need to address a number of areas to improve as a cohesive unit.

Madrid struggled to gain control at the start. Stuttgart had the majority of possession (54%) and completed 217 passes in the opposition half, compared to Madrid's 153. The visitors also matched Madrid in terms of big chances (3:3) and put the hosts under pressure throughout, especially in the first half, when Madrid struggled to build a real rhythm.

Kylian Mbappé's goal early in the second half gave Madrid the breakthrough they needed, but the lead was short-lived as Stuttgart responded quickly, equalising and causing further problems. The game remained evenly matched, with both sides producing high xG values ​​- 2.61 for Madrid and 1.94 for Stuttgart – suggesting both sides had chances to change the result.

Antonio Rüdiger's header put Real Madrid back in front after a few shaky moments, but it was Endrick's last-minute goal that really secured the three points. Despite the result, Madrid's metrics show they still have work to do. The pitch was slightly tilted in Stuttgart's favour at 51.29% and they won more running duels (35-32), suggesting Madrid are struggling to gain control in key moments.

Individually, Vinícius Júnior was one of Madrid's standout players, leading the game with 12 progressive runs, while Rodrygo's influence in attack was also notable, with the highest xT (0.36) for the team. However, Stuttgart's Atakan Karazor was equally impressive in midfield, receiving 80 passes and completing 91 of 94, keeping the visitors' midfield moving and helping them maintain the pressure on Madrid.

Real Madrid were fairly robust defensively, winning 6 aerial duels compared to Stuttgart's 4. However, they lost more running duels and had a lower PPDA (9.35) than Stuttgart's 7.64, suggesting more aggressive pressing from the visitors throughout the game.

Although Real Madrid managed to win in the end, Stuttgart's pressure exposed some of Madrid's weaknesses. If Los Blancos want to be successful this season, they will need to address these issues and become more efficient as a team.