BERGAMO, ITALY - DECEMBER 10: Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid breaks with the ball to score his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Atalanta BC and Real Madrid C.F. at Stadio di Bergamo on December 10, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
BERGAMO, ITALY - DECEMBER 10: Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid breaks with the ball to score his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Atalanta BC and Real Madrid C.F. at Stadio di Bergamo on December 10, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Atalanta put up a real battle, but eventually capitulated 3-2 at home to Real Madrid, with Mateo Retegui missing an incredible opportunity to equalise.
These sides met in the UEFA Super Cup in August, but a lot had changed since that 2-0 Merengues victory. La Dea won their last nine Serie A matches to go top of the table and were unbeaten in the Champions League too, while Carlo Ancelotti was facing talk of the sack after losing three of their five games in this tournament. Juan Cuadrado and Giorgio Scalvini missed out for the hosts, while Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, David Alaba, Daniel Carvajal and Eder Militao didn’t make the trip to Bergamo.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Real Madrid opened the scoring with only the second goal conceded by Atalanta in the competition this season. Kylian Mbappé gathered from Brahim Diaz on the edge of the area, the first touch allowing him to get away from Marten de Roon and drill into the far bottom corner.
It was end to end stuff, as in the same move Aurelien Tchaouameni as a makeshift defender charged down Ademola Lookman’s strike on the Charles De Ketelaere assist, then Mbappé went on the counter to sting Marco Carnesecchi’s gloves.
Lookman rolled across from the left for the De Ketelaere tap-in, denied by a desperate Antonio Rudiger interception from six yards.
There was an almost identical move a few minutes later, with the same outcome from ex-Roma veteran Rudiger, then Tchaouameni charged down the Ederson effort.
There was a blow for Real Madrid when Mbappé went off with an injury after just 36 minutes, replaced by Rodrygo.
On the stroke of half-time, Tchaouameni clipped the back of Sead Kolasinac’s heel as he ran into the area and the referee pointed to the spot. De Ketelaere kept his cool to blast the penalty into the top corner and draw Atalanta level.
BERGAMO, ITALY - DECEMBER 10: Charles De Ketelaere of Atalanta scores his team's first goal past Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Atalanta BC and Real Madrid C.F. at Stadio di Bergamo on December 10, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
BERGAMO, ITALY – DECEMBER 10: Charles De Ketelaere of Atalanta scores his team’s first goal past Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Atalanta BC and Real Madrid C.F. at Stadio di Bergamo on December 10, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
De Ketelaere couldn’t keep a header on target after the restart, while Ederson got back for decisive blocks on both Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior.
Thibaut Courtois got down to push away a Lookman daisy-cutter from the edge of the area, but Real Madrid restored their lead against the run of play.
The Brahim Diaz through ball had been intercepted, but took a double ricochet off two Atalanta players and the rebound accidentally sent Vinicius Junior through, which he gratefully made the most of.
Moments later there was a third, Bellingham running onto a long Vinicius ball over the top starting from the centre-circle, cutting inside De Roon and bending a left-foot finish into the far bottom corner from 14 yards.
Atalanta refused to give in and after Courtois beat away a Raoul Bellanova scorcher, the move continued with Lookman drilling it between Lucas Vazquez’s legs into the near bottom corner for 3-2.
Brahim Diaz volleyed over as Carnesecchi flapped at a Vinicius cross, then Rodrygo tested the goalkeeper, while Kolasinac had a shot charged down when sprinting the full length of the pitch from a Real Madrid corner.
Atalanta poured forward in search of an equaliser, but Matteo Ruggeri fired over with his weaker right foot and Courtois got down quickly to palm a Mateo Retegui angled drive off the line at the near post.
Retegui should’ve equalised with the last kick of the game, somehow prodding over from five yards as Lookman flashed a ball across from the left.
Atalanta 2-3 Real Madrid
Mbappé 10 (R), De Ketelaere pen 45 (A), Vinicius Junior 56 (R), Bellingham 59 (R), Lookman 65 (A)
Atalanta
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Real Madrid
Real Madrid
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14
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8
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5
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87'
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36'
17
7
28
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44
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27
5
24
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58'
3
74'
32
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77
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87'
13
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34
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36
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29
11
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35
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