Real Madrid kicks off their Champions League title defence against Stuttgart, seeking a perfect start in the revamped league phase.
The 15-time champions will face the German side for the first time, aiming to extend their impressive record against German opposition.
Los Blancos have lost just one of their last 21 Champions League matches against German teams, winning 14.
They defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in June’s final, securing their sixth crown in 10 years.
Ancelotti’s team comes into this game after a solid 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad in La Liga, maintaining their unbeaten start to the season across all competitions.
Despite this strong form, Real Madrid currently sit four points behind Barcelona in the league standings.
The German side faces a daunting task, traveling to Real Madrid and Juventus, while hosting Paris Saint-Germain and Atalanta.
Stuttgart is winless in six meetings against Spanish opposition in the UCL, drawing two and losing four.
Stuttgart’s form this season has been mixed.
After a sluggish start to their Bundesliga campaign, they earned a confidence-boosting 3-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach at the weekend, marking their first league victory of the season. With only four points from their first three matches, Stuttgart are currently mid-table in the Bundesliga.
Real Madrid are dealing with a series of injury concerns ahead of this Champions League opener.
Kylian Mbappé, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, is set to make his Champions League debut for the club.
The French superstar has already scored 48 goals in 73 appearances in Europe’s premier competition for PSG and Monaco and will be central to Real’s attack.
However, Real Madrid’s squad has been stretched thin by injuries.
Jude Bellingham has been sidelined for the past month but is back in training and could feature in this match. Aurelien Tchouameni is also nearing full fitness after missing recent games.
On the downside, Brahim Díaz is out for approximately eight weeks with a muscle injury, while Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos are expected to return later in the month.
Stuttgart also have injury woes. Defender Ameen Al Dakhil is yet to debut for the club as he continues his recovery from an injury sustained at Burnley.
Leonidas Stergiou is close to a return from a back injury, but Nikolas Nartey, Frans Kratzig, and Justin Diehl are expected to remain out for longer.
Stuttgart’s hopes will rest on their attacking duo of Ermedin Demirovic and Deniz Undav.
Demirovic has been in fine form, scoring five goals this season for both club and country, while Undav netted his first league goal of the season in the win over Gladbach.
Their ability to break down Real Madrid’s defense will be crucial if Stuttgart are to have any chance of upsetting the odds.
Real Madrid’s pedigree and experience in the Champions League make them heavy favorites for this clash. Stuttgart are an inexperienced side at this level and may struggle to cope with the intensity and quality of Los Blancos.
