Real Madrid’s quest for a record 16th UEFA Champions League The title starts on Tuesday when they host Stuttgart on the opening day of the European season.
The reigning champions are the heavy favorites in their first Champions League match, as they are eyeing a top-eight finish at the end of the competition phase, a reasonable target given their relatively easy schedule in the new competition format. Stuttgart, meanwhile, are back in the Champions League after last season’s runners-up finish in the Bundesliga, but will face it in their opening match of the competition but are still in the mix for a place in the top 24. who will advance next winter to the knockouts.
Here’s what you need to know before you tune in.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Tuesday September 17 | Time: 3:00 PM ET
- Location: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium – Madrid, Spain
- Live stream: Biggest+
- Chances: Real Madrid 360; Sign +500; Stuttgart +900
Don’t miss anything from the Champions League. As always, you can view all of our coverage Biggest+, CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network all season.
Storylines
Tuesday’s match is likely to mark Kylian Mbappe’s Champions League debut in a Real Madrid shirt, and expectations are high that he will start the European season in style. He is central to Carlo Ancelotti’s bid to repeat as champions and with four goals in his first six games he is already off to a strong start in the Spanish capital.
However, the pressure is on him to play a central role in his first Champions League title, and take an already gifted Real Madrid team to the next level. The reigning champion played with a sense of inevitability last season, surviving every challenge despite a string of unimpressive performances on his way to the podium. It helped that Real Madrid had a star-studded squad last year, much of which they will bring with them this season. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo played a big role in that success and are already in impressive form this season: Vinicius has two goals and two assists so far, while Rodrygo has one of each. Jude Bellingham, meanwhile, enjoyed a breakthrough season on his way to his first Champions League title and is expected to perform similarly this time around.
The match also offers Real Madrid the chance to kick their season into high gear after an imperfect start to the season with three wins and two draws in the league. Ancelotti has put the form down to injuries which he puts down to fixture congestion, but he will have a number of high-profile players back for Stuttgart: Bellingham and Aurelien Tchuameni.
Prediction
Real Madrid have everything they need and more to win their opening match of the Champions League, leaving little room for doubt as to whether they will succeed. Ancelotti has enough attacking players to ensure that goals are scored, just like the three points. Choose: Real Madrid 2, Stuttgart 0
