Real Madrid returned to winning ways in the UEFA Champions League by seeing off Serie A leaders Atalanta with a thrilling 3-2 win which pushed Los Blancos right to the final whistle. Kylian Mbappé struck early on before being taken off with a groin injury, only for Charles De Ketelaere to cancel it out with a penalty in injury time of the first half. Vinícius, returning from injury, then scored one and set up another for Jude Bellingham early in the second half, with Ademola Lookman reducing the defecit to make it a nervy ending for the Spanish team.
Three answers
1. Would Vinícius be fit to start?
After four games out, Vinícius Júnior returned to action and he did so right from the start as Carlo Ancelotti threw him straight into the starting line-up for this must-win game. Right from the start it was clear that Vini’s mere presence made a difference to this Real Madrid side, pinning back Raoul Bellanova when he moved wide and forcing Atalanta to double up on him to try to control the Brazilian who looked to be in peak physical condition. In the opening stages of the second half, he produced a well-taken goal and assist for Jude Bellingham in the space of just three minutes. This team with and without Vinícius is like night and day, and having him back is the biggest possible boost for a team who has looked short on confidence and lacking cutting edge.
2. Would Aurélien Tchouameni continue in defence?
Following Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to drop Raúl Asencio at the weekend for the win over Girona, it remained to be seen whether that move would be a permanent one or whether Asencio could come back into the side. Here, it was evident that Tchouameni is now at central defence for the foreseeable future in Ancelotti’s strongest side. The Frenchman looked efficient and comfortable in central defence. He conceded an unfortunate penalty, clipping the heels of Sead Kolasinac, but was otherwise excellent defensively, making nine clearances. On the ball, he provided a crucial outlet, recording a 98% pass completion rate as he misplaced only one of his 56 attempted passes, and helped Real Madrid to stay composed and build out from the back. His strong presence brought a confidence that is missing with Asencio, and he looks more comfortable without runners in behind him as he has in the holding role. This could be a win-win solution.
3. Can Real Madrid get their Champions League campaign back on track?
The result means that they can’t end this matchday lower than 21st, currently ranked 18th pending Wednesday night’s fixtures. It also closes the gap on the top eight to just three points. That number isn’t impossible to recover, though Real Madrid almost certainly rely upon other results going their way and rivals dropping points. The remaining fixtures come against RB Salzburg (currently ranked 32nd) and Brest (currently ranked 5th, despite being 11th in Ligue 1). Los Blancos should be demanding six points from themselves for those two games, and that should be enough to put Real Madrid into contention. This win was by far the trickiest remaining fixture, and picking up their first away win in Europe this season was crucial to setting the team on the right path to qualification.
Three questions
1. How bad is the injury to Kylian Mbappé?
Just as Kylian Mbappé seemed to be enjoying one of his best performances in a Real Madrid shirt to date, he came off and hobbled down the touchline to rejoin the bench. It sparked fears of a more serious injury for the Frenchman, though Carlo Ancelotti was quick to downplay any concerns, saying, “he has an overload, a discomfort in the groin. We will have to see him in the next few days. It doesn’t seem serious, but he had to stop, because he couldn’t sprint... it was bothering him a little bit. So we decided to change him.” With three games to go until the winter break, it could come at a good time. Rayo Vallecano away, against a side who have won only two of their seven home games, seems as good an opportunity as any to rest Mbappé and avoid taking any risks. The Intercontinental Cup final next midweek and the final league game of 2024, against Sevilla at the Bernabéu, seem more realistic return dates.
2. Why can’t Real Madrid keep a clean sheet in the Champions League?
Not since the 2023/24 Champions League final against Borrusia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium have Real Madrid kept a clean sheet. In each of the six games this season, Real Madrid have conceded, with Stuttgart and Lille scoring once, with Liverpool, Dortmund and Atalanta doing so twice and Milan scoring three. Real Madrid’s goal difference in the Champions League now sits on just +1, with 12 goals scored and 11 conceded, and only Dinamo Zagreb have conceded more among the 24 teams currently in the qualifying positions. That’s a worrying return for Real Madrid. The defensive injury crisis has had an impact, and much more so than in La Liga, where Real Madrid have the third-best defensive record with 0.81 goals conceded per 90, while in the Champions League it’s 1.83, exceeding the 1.68 xG conceded per game. When it comes to elite competitions, a second string defence isn’t enough.
3. Should Brahim Díaz be starting more often?
One of the puzzling questions from recent weeks has been why Brahim Díaz hasn’t featured more regularly. Usually, he has seemed to be the fourth option, behind Rodrygo, Vini and Mbappé, but with the two Brazilians out at different times over the past month or two, he has largely been deployed out of his best position, acting as a makeshift centre-forward agaisnt Liverpool and Getafe, before dropping back to the bench. It’s also been true that Brahim hasn’t excelled, without any goal involvements for Real Madrid since he claimed an assist after replacing Rodrygo as he pulled up injured against Osasuna in early November. Against Atalanta, we saw arguably his best performance of the season as he started on the right flank and attacked with flair but worked diligently, recording nine successful duels, more than anyone else, in addition to two chances created, one setting up Kylian Mbappé to score on 10 minutes. He’s played himself back into contention.