As Real Madrid prepare to travel to Bergamo, they will face Atalanta for what is quickly becoming a familiar European matchup. This meeting marks the fourth encounter between the two sides since 2021, a notable frequency considering they had never previously been seen as natural rivals on the continent. Back in 2021, under Zinedine Zidane, a Madrid team that had narrowly escaped a group-stage exit overcame Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta in the Champions League Round of 16 over two legs. More recently, Kylian Mbappé’s first minutes in a Real Madrid shirt came against Atalanta in the 2024 European Super Cup.
This time, the context has shifted yet again. The Champions League format has been reimagined, and Real Madrid currently sit 24th out of 32 teams in the standings, leaving them precariously close to elimination. They arrive in Bergamo with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, an Italian veteran manager taking on a fellow Italian tactician in Gasperini, who continues to guide Atalanta to new heights.
Atalanta’s impressive domestic form presents clear challenges for Madrid. They sit atop Serie A, driven by the goals of **Mateo Retegui, who has already notched 12 in the league.** Behind those goals lies a data-backed story of dominance. The Italians **lead Serie A in non-penalty expected goals**, an indication that their chance creation rarely relies on flukes. Defensively, they allow fewer high-quality chances than most in Italy, **with only five clubs posting a lower non-penalty xG against.**
Their attacking approach is dynamic and efficient. **No team has more shots on target in Serie A**, and their ability to progress the ball and break down defenses is evident in their **league-leading numbers for key passes, as well as passes into both the final third and the penalty area.** They **top the charts in shot-creating actions from open play and rank third from take-ons,** reflecting a versatile approach that combines patient build-up with direct confrontation of defenders.
Territorially, Atalanta’s influence is unmistakable. They produce the **most touches in the attacking third and penalty area, while ranking near the top in progressive carries and carries into dangerous zones.** At the same time, their defensive structure restricts opponents, as shown by **allowing the third-fewest touches by the opposition in their own attacking third.**
For Real Madrid, this is not just a game against a statistically formidable opponent—it is a fixture loaded with recent history and evolving storylines. These two clubs, once strangers to each other, are forging their own European narrative. On Tuesday, in a reimagined Champions League, Madrid will once again test themselves against Atalanta’s tactical discipline and attacking intent.