Kylian Mbappe renewed his quest to win a European title by scoring for Real Madrid in his first Champions League match with the club. Mbappe found the open net after a cross by Rodrygo just seconds into the second half of Madrid’s 3-1 win over Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
“It was a great night,” Mbappe said. “It was a tough match, as they always are in the Champions League, but it was important to start with the win at home.”
Mbappe celebrated with a gesture in which he appeared to blow candles and sending a kiss. Spanish media said it was to honor his mother’s 50th birthday.
The goal gave defending champions Madrid a 1-0 lead before Stuttgart equalised with Deniz Undav in the 68th. Antonio Rudiger put Madrid back in front in the 83rd and substitute Endrick closed the scoring deep into stoppage time to seal the victory for the defending champions.
It was Mbappe’s 49th Champions League goal, putting him in the top-10 of top scorers all time in the competition. He has scored in three consecutive matches and has five goals in seven games with Madrid so far in all competitions.
Ponting joins Punjab Kings as head coach
Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain, has signed a deal with Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Punjab Kings have been searching for a new coach and a fresh direction after parting ways with Trevor Bayliss. With a mega IPL auction on the horizon, the franchise, which has struggled to find consistency in the league, has been looking for a leader/mentor/head coach who can guide them in this new cycle and help shape their future.
“I am grateful to Punjab Kings for presenting me with the opportunity to be the new Head Coach. I am excited to take up the new challenge. I had great conversations with the owners and the management about the way forward and was truly elated to see the alignment of our visions for the team. We all want to repay the fans who have stayed with the franchise over the years and we promise that they will see a much different Punjab Kings going forward,” Ponting was quoted as saying in a media release.