Real Madrid vs Stuttgart predictions: Brazilian’s turn to take the spotlight
- Vinicius Junior has scored in back-to-back games for Real Madrid
- Vinicius has scored 13 goals in 22 European appearances over the past two seasons
- Recommended bet: Vinicius Junior to score
Kylian Mbappe starts his quest for a first Champions League winner’s medal when his new club Real Madrid open their title defence with a home clash against Stuttgart on Tuesday.
The French striker, who reached the semi-finals in 2017 with Monaco and was a beaten finalist in 2020 with Paris Saint-Germain, is the marquee addition to a Madrid squad that lifted their 15th European Cup at Wembley in June.
Stuttgart make their first trip to Estadio Bernabeu on the back of claiming their first win of the season with a 3-1 away success over Borussia Monchengladbach.
Sebastian Hoeness’ side could not have possibly been handed a more glamorous game to mark their return to Europe’s top tier for the first time since 2010.
Team news
Jude Bellingham faces a late fitness test to determine whether he can return to the Real Madrid side.
The Englishman did not travel to San Sebastian for Saturday’s 2-0 win over Real Sociedad as he recovers from a muscle injury.
Fellow midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni also missed out with manager Carlo Ancelotti hopeful that both can be involved again soon.
Eder Militao and Ferland Mendy shook off injury concerns to feature at the weekend, but David Alaba, Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga remain absent from full training.
Meanwhile, Stuttgart are currently without the services of defender Leonidas Stergiou and midfielder Nikolas Nartey due to back and knee problems respectively.
Hoeness could name an unchanged side from the one that won at Borussia Park with Ermedin Demirovic paired alongside Deniz Undav after the summer signing’s brace on Saturday.
Although Chris Fuhrich, who was a regular in the side last season, could return in place of Fabian Rieder out wide.
The stats
Real Madrid have won nine of their last 12 home Champions League matches.
At least four goals have been scored in all three Stuttgart games this season with both teams scoring in each.
Die Roten have scored four of their seven Bundesliga goals this term inside the opening 22 minutes.
Prediction
Most of the media attention will be on Mbappe on Tuesday, but Stuttgart will be just as wary of the threat posed by Real Madrid’s in-form winger Vinicius Junior.
The Brazilian has scored in back-to-back LaLiga matches and was a key factor in the holders’ march to a 15th European Cup last season.
Unlike Mbappe, who scored eight goals in last season’s competition, the former Flamengo star outperformed his expected goals of 4.5 by registering six strikes in 10 games.
And he looks likely to take Real Madrid’s next spot-kick after Carlo Ancelotti left it up to his two most trusted penalty-takers to divide the responsibility between themselves.
The duo have been taking turns since the start of the campaign with Vinicius due to be the next up after Mbappe took the second of the two Real Madrid were awarded against Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Four of Los Merengues’ last five goals have come from the penalty spot, so they clearly know how to win them.
Meanwhile, Stuttgart have shipped seven goals in three Bundesliga matches this term and look ripe for a player like Vinicius to take full advantage.
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