Real Madrid’s slim hopes of automatically qualifying for the next round of the Champions League were boosted by a Thrilling 3-2 win over Atalanta on Tuesday.
Kylian Mbappe scored early for Madrid but did not complete the first half after limping off injured, with Charles De Ketelaere equalizing from the penalty spot.
Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham scored in quick succession early in the second half to give Madrid enough breathing room to deal with Ademola Lookman’s smart strike from distance to secure victory.
How the game developed
Madrid clearly set out to control the pace in the early stages, slowing things down to try and take the edge off Atalanta’s attack. Mbappe enjoyed a lively start to the game, driving the hosts forward whenever possible and causing a handful of scares early on.
After giving Atalanta a handful of warnings, Mbappé opened the scoring in the tenth minute. A perfect first touch of Brahim Diaz’s pass took the Frenchman away from Marten de Roon, before a powerful low strike sunk into the corner. Mbappé becomes the second youngest player to reach 50 goals in the Champions League, only behind a certain Lionel Messi.
Mbappé stung the gloves of Marco Carnesecchi soon after, but Antonio Rudiger had to preserve his side’s lead with a glorious clearance from a few yards out as De Ketelaere threatened to hit an empty net.
Unfortunately for Mbappe, he picked up an injury late in the first half which forced him to limp off the field, with Rodrygo taking his place in attack.
Rudiger, star of the Madrid defense show, had his head in his hands just before the break when he found himself unmarked in the six-yard box. Bellingham’s volleyed cross came to him with real pace and the German simply couldn’t keep his header on target, and the quality of the chance he had just spurned was clearly not lost on him.
With the final act of the half, Atalanta deserved a penalty. Sead Kolasinac came into the box and was tackled by Aurelien Tchouameni, and De Ketelaere rose to fire an effort into the top corner.
Atalanta were the brighter of the two teams to start the second half. Lookman’s low strike required a save from Thibaut Courtois, and Madrid’s reward for weathering the storm was an incredibly lucky goal from Vinicius.
Brahim’s pass was blocked but bounced behind the Atalanta defense after an unfortunate rebound from Ederson, and Vinicius made no mistake with a quick shot into the back of the net.
Before the fans had taken their seats back, it was 3-1. Bellingham collected a long ball and cut inside to send his low shot past Carnesecchi, who perhaps should have done better with his save attempt.
Atalanta did not lie down and soon found their way back into the game. With 65 minutes on the clock, Lookman sent a low arrow into the bottom corner, setting up a fascinating end to this game.
The hosts finished the game on top and should have equalized when a low cross found Mario Retegui unmarked three yards out, but Serie A’s top scorer somehow sent his effort over the bar cross in added time.
Real Madrid were favorites when these two teams met in the Super Cup at the start of the season, so it was no surprise to see the Spaniard lift the trophy when it was all said and done. Since then, however, the narrative has changed.
Madrid’s woes coupled with Atalanta’s dazzling form certainly made this more even, there’s even an argument to be made that Atalanta were favourites, but Carlo Ancelotti’s side he did what he does best and got a result on the big stage once again.
During Mbappé’s time on the field, Madrid were the best team. It took them a while to readjust after his departure, but this team likes nothing more than to have their backs against the wall in Europe.
In the 36th minute of the match, Madrid fans were stunned by the sight of Mbappe sitting on the grass holding his ankle. Ancelotti didn’t hesitate, withdrawing the summer signing and replacing him with Rodrygo.
It was a shame as this was one of Mbappé’s best performances in a Madrid shirt. Playing in a central role, the Frenchman was a huge threat at the back and his glorious touch for the first goal simply oozed quality, but he was given no chance to capitalize on that momentum.
We look forward to the next one Official announcement.
With Mbappé injured and Vinicius clearly not at full strength, Madrid needed another big name to take the game by the scruff of the neck and navigate this tricky game. It was Bellingham that rose to the occasion.
Roaming all over midfield and attack, the Englishman was sensational in the second half, relentlessly getting forward to stretch Atalanta’s defense and create space for those around him, while also boasting their defensive responsibilities.
His slow start to the season is truly over.
