Jude Bellingham addresses reports of tension between him Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior & Rodrygo after Real Madrid's Champions League win over Stuttgart

It was business as usual on the field for the Real Madrid superstars as they brushed aside Stuttgart 3-1 in their UEFA Champions League opener at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday evening. Mbappe scored the first after he was set up by Rodrygo and in the second half it was evident that the chemistry among the Real forwards was on the rise after their recent struggles for rhythm in La Liga.

There have been reports of discord on social media among the Real superstars, especially between Vinicius and Mbappe over penalty responsibilities. Whereas, it is claimed that Rodrygo does not feel valued enough in the dressing room despite his contributions. However, Bellingham quashed all rumours and insisted that they were all "very good friends".

After the match, Bellingham told reporters: "I saw on social media that they are trying to create something negative between me, Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius. The only truth is that we are very good friends on and off the pitch."

The English midfielder hailed Mbappe's contributions to the club and added: "It’s what he does, I’m not surprised at all. I didn’t even realise it was his debut, I just thought it was another game he would score in. He always delivers so far, it’s a lot of pressure coming to a club like Madrid, but he’s taken to it really easily and the lads love him already. He’s going to be a huge player for us, this season and beyond."

After a resounding victory in the Champions League, Real Madrid will now shift their focus to La Liga where they are set to host Espanyol on Saturday evening.