Real Madrid issues a cautionary statement towards Stuttgart F.C.
Despite the altered Champions League setup, Real Madrid continues to dominate as the top contender. Fresh off their league title, they prepare to host the returning VfB Stuttgart, with Coach Ancelotti issuing a pre-match warning about their opponents' strengths and expressing confident anticipation for a comeback.
Real Madrid can rely on their English midfield star, Jude Bellingham, for their Champions League debut. The ex-Dortmund player, who was sidelined due to a muscle injury during the last four league games for his former team and the England side's opening Nations League match, resumed training with the squad on Monday and is now back under the tutelage of Ancelotti for the clash with VfB Stuttgart on Tuesday (21:00 CET, available on Prime Video and live updates on ntv.de).
"Bellingham's progressing nicely," noted Ancelotti. The 21-year-old had been absent for the last four league games and the England opener in the Nations League due to an injury. "Having Bellingham back is excellent news for us. We understand his impact both with and without the ball," shared Dani Carvajal.
Ancelotti also confirmed the fitness of defender Eder Militao, who had trained separately for load management reasons, and Aurelien Tchouameni. Furthermore, he reiterated, "The Champions League embodies something special for Real Madrid. We intend to compete for the title until the very end."
Very organized VfB Stuttgart!
Meanwhile, Ancelotti voiced criticisms regarding the revamped Champions League format. "The schedule is overly taxing," he argued. "If the governing bodies don't start contemplating the reality that players are suffering injuries because they're overplayed, we're facing an issue." He advocates for reduced games to secure "more engaging competitions."
During the latter stages of his press conference, Ancelotti addressed VfB - prompted by a German journalist. He acknowledged the question and complimented Coach Sebastian Hoeneß on his "amazing job." He further hailed VfB as a "formidable team, incredibly well-organized. They truly deserve to be here."
In their previous Champions League debut, when Union Berlin faced Real Madrid last September, Ancelotti mentioned that "We're approaching a well-organized team. We need to play with intensity if we desire to win." Unfortunately for Union, the match ended in a loss due to a late goal from Jude Bellingham in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
With Bellingham back in the squad, Real Madrid hopes to leverage his skills in their upcoming Champions League match. Ancelotti praised VfB Stuttgart, stating, "They are a formidable team, incredibly well-organized. They truly deserve to be here."
