The UEFA Champions League kicks off with its first round of matches this week as VfB Stuttgart lock horns with Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid side in the opening clash at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday. Los Blancos will want to start off the defense of their title in usual fashion by getting a win.
Real Madrid vs VfB Stuttgart Preview
VfB Stuttgart are currently in 10th place in the Bundesliga standings and have been inconsistent over the past year. The away side eased past Borussia Monchengladbach by a comprehensive 3-1 margin over the weekend and will be confident ahead of this fixture.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, are in third place in the La Liga table at the moment and are yet to hit their stride this season. Los Blancos eased past Real Sociedad by a 2-0 margin in their previous game and will look to achieve a similar result this week.
Real Madrid vs VfB Stuttgart Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- Real Madrid have never played an official fixture against VfB Stuttgart in the UEFA Champions League and will need to adapt to a formidable new opponent on Tuesday.
- Real Madrid have faced a total of 15 teams from Germany in European competitions in their history and are set to face VfB Stuttgart for the first time.
- This is VfB Stuttgart's first match in the UEFA Champions League in nearly 14 years - their previous game in the competition in 2010 ended in a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Barcelona.
- Real Madrid have lost only one of their last 21 matches against German opponents in the UEFA Champions League, with their only such defeat during this period coming by a 3-2 margin at the hands of RB Leipzig in October 2022.
Real Madrid vs VfB Stuttgart Prediction
Real Madrid have an excellent squad at their disposal and have dominated the UEFA Champions League over the past decade. With Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior in their ranks, Los Blancos seem lethal on paper this season.
VfB Stuttgart can pull off an upset on their day but will be up against a seasoned European powerhouse on Tuesday. Real Madrid are the better team on paper and should be able to win this game.
Prediction: Real Madrid 2-1 VfB Stuttgart
Real Madrid vs VfB Stuttgart Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Real Madrid to win
Tip 2: Game to have over 2.5 goals - Yes
Tip 3: VfB Stuttgart to score first - Yes
Tip 4: Vinicius Junior to score - Yes