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Real Madrid's jewel-in-the-crown players, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, gave their team a triumphant warm-up for their Champions League match against VfB Stuttgart. These two superstars steered the Spanish record champions to a 2-0 (0-0) victory in the league away game against Real Sociedad San Sebastián. Both players converted penalties, with Mbappé making it 2-0 (75.), following a penalty area foul on Vinícius Júnior. Real currently sits in second place in the table, just one point behind FC Barcelona, managed by Hansi Flick, who faces FC Girona this Sunday (16:15 CET/DAZN and live update on ntv.de).
First up, Brazilian Vinícius Júnior slotted home the 1-0 (58.) after a handball in the penalty area. Then, Frenchman Mbappé didn't pass up his chance from the spot to make it 2-0 (75.), after Vinícius was fouled in the penalty area. According to Opta, it was the first time since 2019 that two different Real Madrid players had scored two penalties in a league game.
Real also had a dash of luck, as San Sebastián rattled the post several times: First, Luka Sucic (25.) missed a powerful shot at the left post, then the bar denied a goal to Sheraldo Becker, a former Union Berlin marksman. "It was a challenging game, and we probably didn't deserve to win because Real Sociedad played exceptionally well," said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, "but we held on, suffered, and remained dedicated. I greatly appreciate that."
Real will welcome German vice-champions VfB Stuttgart onto their turf for their first Champions League game this season on Tuesday (21:00 CET/Amazon Prime and live update on ntv.de). The Swabians have also gained new confidence with their 3-1 victory at Borussia Mönchengladbach. For Real Madrid's star player Kylian Mbappé, this game marks the start of a long and exciting Champions League season: "This is extremely important. I came to Madrid to test myself in such an atmosphere, as I said on my first day. I'm focused, and we're hungry for a win to kick-start the campaign!"
Kylian Mbappé's focus and hunger were evident in his remarks prior to Real Madrid's Champions League match against VfB Stuttgart, emphasizing his eagerness to perform in such high-pressure situations, as he had stated on his first day at the club. During the game, Mbappé calmly converted a penalty to secure a 2-0 lead, showing his composure under pressure.
