Real Madrid captain sent off for headbutting goalkeeper

Real Madrid survived the stupidity of their captain Dani Carvajal to kick off their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Marseille at the Bernabeu.

Carvajal started the match on the bench and ended it in disgrace after he was sent off for headbutting Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli in the second half (watch in the video player above).

The head-to-head contact looked fairly light and Rulli made the most of it by theatrically falling backwards onto the turf.

Football's new home, Stan Sport, is the only place to watch the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, WSL, European World Cup qualifiers, J.League, NSWL and K Leaguehttps://x.com/StanSportFC/status/1968056033630400664

But it was always going to end in a red card to Carvajal, the 33-year-old Spain legend who is closing in on 300 games for the club.

Carvajal had replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold after just five minutes as the Liverpool recruit limped off with an apparent muscle injury.

Carvajal's blushes were saved by Kylian Mbappe, who converted two penalties to secure three points.

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The victory meant that 15-time champion Madrid became the first team in competition history - since the rebranding in the early 1990s - to reach 200 wins.

It also gave former Madrid star Xabi Alonso a victory in his Champions League debut as the club's manager.

Timothy Weah put visiting Marseille ahead early on but Mbappe struck back from the penalty spot in the 29th and 81st minutes.https://x.com/StanSportFC/status/1968047008746463723

The first penalty came after a foul on Rodrygo and the second for a handball by a defender.

Mbappe now has 50 goals in 64 matches with Madrid.

"We are happy that he keeps scoring goals and has been feeling more and more comfortable," Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde said of the France star.https://x.com/StanSportFC/status/1968066743571714169

"Our job is to make sure the ball gets to him and that he can have even more scoring opportunities than he is having now."

Weah - a United States international and the son of former Ballon d'Or winner George Weah - was set up by Mason Greenwood, who stripped Madrid's Arda Guler near midfield.

Spanish police clashed with Marseille fans before the match.

Police in riot gear and horse riding officers used batons to disperse the French supporters as they apparently tried to move out of the spot allocated for them as they waited outside the Bernabeu gates.

Bernabeu security personnel did not allow fans to enter the stadium with Palestinian flags.

Elsewhere, an early own goal from goalkeeper Luiz Junior gave Tottenham a 1-0 win over visiting Villarreal and little-known Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise made a stunning Champions League debut by upsetting Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven 3-1.

Borussia Dortmund and Juventus drew 4-4 in Turin.

Juventus substitute Dusan Vlahovic scored one goal in stoppage time and then set up the equaliser for English defender Lloyd Kelly.

Qarabag came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Benfica.https://x.com/StanSportFC/status/1968066249495285898

In the second season of the new league phase format, the top eight teams advance to the round of 16.

The next 16 teams enter a two leg playoff, with eight advancing.

Paris Saint-Germain are the defending champions.