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Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe played a key role in the club’s victory against Stuttgart in his UEFA Champions League debut.
He was one of the scorers in a 3-1 win and expressed his satisfaction with the result. While many believe he joined Real Madrid solely to secure a Champions League title, Mbappe dismissed this as a limited view, insisting that there is much more to his role and ambitions at the club.
“It’s negative to say that I came here just to win the Champions League. We try to win every game, we won today and we’ll see what happens next,” the forward was quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
Thoughts on the game
Reflecting on the game, Mbappe acknowledged the challenge they faced, especially in the first half. Stuttgart performed well, and Real Madrid struggled to keep up and recover from a difficult start.
However, in the second half, the team found their rhythm. By creating more scoring opportunities and applying pressure, they managed to secure the goals they needed, leading to a satisfying victory.
“It was a great night. We wanted to start with a win and it was a difficult game. It’s important to win the first games, the Champions League has changed and we have to win quickly.
“It was difficult because they play well and we had problems playing and getting back from behind in the first half. In the second half, we had opportunities to score, we put pressure, we played well and we scored.”
Self-assessment and Endrick
Mbappe recognised the efforts of the entire team, crediting the hard work that went into achieving the win. He also spoke about his own performance, stating that while he was pleased with his first European goal for the club, he believes he can improve further.
“I can do more. Every game I feel better and I know I will score more,” he noted.
The French forward also took a moment to praise his teammate Endrick Felipe, who scored the third goal in added time, further sealing the victory. Mbappe noted how Endrick, despite being just 18 years old, managed to impress the crowd in his brief time on the pitch.
“He scores his goal and wins over the crowd. He’s an 18-year-old boy, he had one minute and he scored his goal. He’s doing very well.
“The most important thing is the way he scored the goal. It is difficult to reach Europe,” he concluded.
