“We must not shit our pants,” Deniz Undav had insisted, and Stuttgart did not do so, but neither did they beat Europe’s most fearsome, seemingly indestructible team. Because if the striker was right when he said, “If you fear Real Madrid because it’s Real Madrid, you don’t even need to fly,” if he had his moment, headed the goal that promised an even more memorable evening, and if his team kept up the fight on their return to the Champions League fifteen years later, the result remained the same. It is one thing not to be overwhelmed, even outplayed, another to actually win against the club that considers this competition its own.

On an entertaining evening with 37 shots on goal and wide open spaces, Stuttgart were better than their illustrious opponents. Their coach Sebastian Hoeneß described it as an “unforgettable” event, a “fascinating game with many chances” to which they had “contributed” and shown “our courage and our football”. They went to the most symbolic arena of all and fell behind to Kylian Mbappé’s first European goal for Madrid. But Undav equalised with twenty minutes to go, Stuttgart were looking for more and might have managed it.

In the end, Real Madrid is Real Madrid and so it was that Antonio Rüdiger decided the game in their favor with a header from a corner seven minutes before the end. And while Stuttgart were still giving it their all, teenager Endrick ran free in injury time to secure a 3-1 home victory.

“Thinking of a win may seem exaggerated, but we will be brave,” Hoeneß said, and he was right – on both counts. The game was not even two minutes old when Thibaut Courtois made the first of six saves, blocking Jamie Leweling’s shot. This action was the crowning moment of an action that began at the feet of Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, tearing Madrid open on the right side; it was also a declaration of intent.

Stuttgart dominated those first moments; after ten minutes the statistics said they had 72% possession. After twenty it was 70%. It was supposed to be even – the final figure was 54% – but Courtois had already come to Madrid’s rescue three times and had to do so again. Enzo Millot missed a one-on-one, Leweling was saved, Millot too, and after a superb exchange with Chris Führich and Undav, Angelo Stiller was left alone in front of goal and unable to finish a move he had started. Whistles from the stands testified to Madrid’s frustration. But that’s kind of what they do, a story that’s been told before.

And as it turned out, Stuttgart came closest to the ball when the Beast got going: a sprint from Vinícius Júnior, a charge from Mbappé and a run from Rodrygo all served as warning before Undav’s shot ricocheted off Aurélien. Tchouaméni hit the crossbar. Half an hour had flown by; it was fun. Madrid were then awarded a penalty, but the referee was called to the VAR screen, where Jude Bellingham, waiting at the penalty spot, saw that Stiller’s strike had not touched Rüdiger.

There was another chance for Millot, Courtois saved again and Bellingham’s ball could have put Mbappé ahead. Madrid were definitely in the game now and although no goals were scored in the first half, it took just twenty seconds of the second half for one to be scored. A clever move left Rodrygo free on the right and he set up Mbappé, who inside-footed an empty net to score his 49th Champions League goal. It could have been his 50th soon after, but this time Nübel saved.

Vinícius then hit the crossbar and it seemed the die was cast. Yet Stuttgart were not going to let it slip away, rightly confident that they would continue to impose Madrid. Leweling had to parry Courtois twice in three minutes. He then burst free but failed to fire the final pass past Rüdiger into the space behind. He then missed a wonderful chance that was served up by Atakan Karazor.

The frustration was palpable, but quickly dissipated. After a corner from Fabian Rieder, the ball reached Leweling at the far post. He controlled the ball superbly with his chest and volleyed it back across the six-yard box, where Undav headed the equalizer. Luck was on the side of the brave, if only for a short time, as Rüdiger and Endrick dashed their hopes. For Stuttgart, the flight was definitely worth it. Their coach said he was proud of the players who never gave up, and their fans sang as the stadium emptied. They had enjoyed their return; but some fates are inevitable.