“We can’t crap our pants,” Deniz Undav had insisted and Stuttgart did not but nor did they beat Europe’s most terrifying, seemingly indestructible team. Because if the striker was right to say that “if you fear Real Madrid because it’s Real Madrid, you needn’t even fly”, if he had his moment, heading the goal that promised an even more memorable night, and if his team carried the fight on their return to the Champions League fifteen years later, the result remained the same. It is one thing not to be overawed, even to outplay, another to actually win against the club that consider this competi ..read more

Football club announces cancellation or rescheduling of gigs at refurbished Santiago Bernabéu stadium Real Madrid has cancelled or rescheduled all concerts at its Santiago Bernabéu stadium and is working to comply with council noise regulations after local people complained that a series of loud, late gigs had turned the arena into a “torture-drome”. Although best known as the home of one of Spain’s greatest football teams, the Bernabéu – which has just undergone a five-year, €900m (£760m) refurbishment – has hosted a string of high-profile concerts over the spring and summer. Recent headliner ..read more

Work permit application can take up to nine months Coach misses out on chance to work with Ancelotti The Stockport assistant coach Andy Mangan has been denied a move to Real Madrid after being refused a work permit. A ­journeyman striker as a player, Mangan has developed a bur­geoning reputation as a coach. He had hoped to swap League One for working with Carlo Ancelotti in the ­Champions League but because of Brexit ­regulations his application was rejected. Acquiring a work permit to work in Spain can take up to nine months ..read more

Former PSG attacker scores twice in 2-0 win England captain converts penalty for Bayern Kylian Mbappé opened his La Liga account at the fourth time of asking with a double to fire Real Madrid to a 2-0 home win over Real Betis. Mbappé had failed to score in Madrid’s opening three league fixtures, which resulted in the champions dropping points at Mallorca and Las Palmas ..read more

While the Madrid clubs’ main men had a quiet weekend, the supporting cast stepped up and showed their worth The Spiderman and the mutant turtle were in town for the first time but someone else had to save the day. So along came the little bird, the little prince, the great big cucumber, Brahim, the boy Bobby and sweet potato. Then there was the Resurrección. Madrid is hot and empty in August, or it’s supposed to be, metal shutters down and scribbled signs up saying see you in September, but there were 140,744 people combined at the Santiago Bernabéu, Butarque and the Metropolitano this Sunday ..read more

Bayern win 3-2 in Vincent Kompany’s first league match Real Madrid 3-0 Valladolid; Napoli 3-0 Bologna A late goal by Serge Gnabry secured Bayern Munich a hard-fought 3-2 Bundesliga victory at Wolfsburg to give their new coach Vincent Kompany a winning start. Wolfsburg began brightly but it was the visitors who made the better chances in the first half, taking the lead after fine work by Sacha Boey down the right to set up Jamal Musiala for an easy tap-in. Bayern made a poor start to the second half, however, as they gave away a penalty when Tiago Tomas was brought down by Boey, and Lovro Maj ..read more

Real Madrid midfielder has suffered leg injury, say club England star would miss Ireland and Finland games Jude Bellingham faces a spell on the sidelines through injury and could miss the start of England’s Nations League campaign. The Real Madrid midfielder has suffered a leg injury and reports in Spain suggest the 21-year-old will not be available until after the international break ..read more

Kosovan striker Vedat Muriqi will always treasure the night his goal denied Real Madrid’s new galáctico a maiden win Vedat Muriqi’s coach once called him a “strange, ugly beast”, everyone else calls him the Pirate and if he saw himself on a dark, empty street he reckons he’d cross over too, but Real Madrid couldn’t avoid him. Being proud even to share a pitch with them – world stars, in his words – doesn’t mean that alone is enough. This is Kylian Mbappé’s league, the front pages said on Sunday morning; the night, though, belonged to RCD Mallorca, the 6ft 4in Kosovan with the big beard, pony t ..read more

Napoli lose 3-0 at Verona in Conte’s first league game Mallorca hit back in second half against Real Madrid Napoli’s Serie A season kicked off in disastrous fashion on Sunday when they were overwhelmed 3-0 at Verona and lost midfielder Khvicha Kvaratskhelia after he collided with an opposing player. Antonio Conte, in his first league match in charge of the 2023 champions, was forced to take off Kvaratskhelia just before half-time when the Georgian looked uncomfortable after the collision ..read more

Kylian Mbappé scored on his debut as Real Madrid won a record sixth Super Cup in Warsaw 6 min: De Ketelaere slips Zappacosta into space down the right with a cute pass. Zappacosta reaches the byline but can’t work out whether to cross or shoot, and eventually does neither. Lookman is then harshly penalised for a nudge on Militão in the middle, and the whistle goes. A first flash of promise for the Italians, though. 5 min: Mbappé gets his first meaningful touch, just inside the Atalanta box on the left. He’s crowded out of it by De Roon and Hien, but the sense of expectation was palpable when t ..read more