The Numbers Narrative: Real Madrid 3-1 VfB Stuttgart

Real Madrid secured a 3-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart, but the performance revealed deeper underlying issues, especially in the first half where the visitors outplayed them for long periods. While goals from Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rüdiger, and Endrick sealed the win, the match was far from a comfortable outing for Los Blancos, who still need to address several areas to improve as a cohesive unit.

Madrid struggled to assert control early on, with Stuttgart having the majority of possession (54%) and completing 217 passes in the opposition half compared to Madrid’s 153. The visitors also matched Madrid in terms of big chances (3-3) and pushed the hosts throughout, especially in the first half, where Madrid found it difficult to create any meaningful rhythm.

Kylian Mbappé’s goal early in the second half provided Madrid with the needed breakthrough, but their lead was short-lived as Stuttgart responded quickly, equalizing and causing further problems. The match remained finely balanced, with both sides generating high xG numbers—2.61 for Madrid and 1.94 for Stuttgart—indicating the chances they both had to change the outcome.

Antonio Rüdiger’s header brought Real Madrid back into the lead after some shaky moments, but it wasn’t until Endrick’s last-minute goal that the three points were truly secured. Despite the result, Madrid’s performance metrics reveal that they still have work to do. The field tilt slightly favored Stuttgart at 51.29%, and they won more ground duels (35-32), indicating Madrid’s struggles to gain control in key moments.

Individually, Vinícius Júnior was one of Madrid’s standout performers, leading the game with 12 progressive carries, while Rodrygo’s influence on the attack was also notable, with the highest xT (0.36) for the team. However, Stuttgart’s Atakan Karazor was equally impressive in midfield, receiving 80 passes and completing 91 out of 94, keeping the visitors’ midfield ticking over and helping them maintain pressure on Madrid.

Defensively, Real Madrid showed some resilience, winning 6 aerial duels to Stuttgart’s 4. Still, they lost more ground duels and had a lower PPDA (9.35) than Stuttgart’s 7.64, indicating the visitors’ more aggressive pressing throughout the game.

In the end, while Real Madrid managed to grind out the win, Stuttgart’s pressure clearly exposed some of Madrid’s vulnerabilities. If Los Blancos are to push for success in the season, they will need to address these issues and become more functional as a team.