Champions League: Mbappé and Bellingham of Real Madrid Issue Warning to Rivals

 Kylian Mbappé expressed confidence that he "can do more," despite having scored five goals in seven games since joining Real Madrid this summer. Teammate Jude Bellingham also remarked that the reigning LaLiga champions "can improve."

Real Madrid kicked off their Champions League title defense with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Stuttgart on Tuesday. Although Stuttgart initially appeared the stronger side, Mbappé broke the deadlock early in the second half, marking his third consecutive goal for Madrid.

"I can do more," Mbappé stated. The France captain, who signed a five-year deal with the Spanish club after leaving Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, has netted three times in five league matches.

"I know I'm going to do more," he added. "Every game I feel better, and now I'm scoring goals. I'm happy here." He also celebrated the performance of Endrick, who scored on his Champions League debut. "He’s very young. He’s 18. He gets his playing time and scores his goals," Mbappé said.

Bellingham acknowledged the team has room for growth after they conceded an equalizer in the 68th minute. "Thibaut Courtois is the best in the world, and he makes amazing saves. However, we need to ensure he leaves with a clean sheet," he said. "We need time to return to our best. Once we click, it’ll be great. We play well at times; we just need to be more consistent."

On his connection with Madrid's attacking trio of Vinícius Júnior, Mbappé, and Rodrygo, Bellingham noted, "I see comments on social media about Rodrygo or me missing in the lineup. They create a negative narrative. Kylian has arrived, and I have a great relationship with Rodrygo. We feel like we’ve been together for a long time. We’re all good friends off the pitch, which shows on the pitch."

After five games, Madrid sits third in LaLiga, four points behind leaders Barcelona, and will host Espanyol on Saturday.