Real Madrid bounced back from two consecutive defeats in the UEFA Champions League, securing a 3-2 victory over Atalanta in Bergamo.
Despite a strong performance from Kylian Mbappé, who opened the scoring early, the French forward was forced to leave the pitch due to injury just before halftime.
The match, held at the Gewiss Stadium, saw Real Madrid respond impressively after recent setbacks against AC Milan and Liverpool.
Atalanta, who had gone unbeaten in their previous 14 matches across all competitions, proved to be tough opposition but ultimately succumbed to Madrid’s attacking brilliance.
A thrilling second half
The match came alive after a dramatic sequence of three goals in just three minutes.
With the score tied at 1-1, Vinícius Júnior, making his return from injury, broke the deadlock in the 56th minute.
Taking advantage of a ricochet off Atalanta’s Éderson, the Brazilian winger slotted the ball past goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi with his left foot.
Three minutes later, Jude Bellingham, almost a Ballon d’Or winner, delivered a stunning finish after being set up by Vinícius, extending Madrid’s lead to 3-1.
Atalanta responded quickly, with Ademola Lookman firing in a powerful shot to reduce the deficit to 3-2 in the 65th minute, but the home side couldn’t find an equalizer.
Despite late pressure from Gian Piero Gasperini’s team, including chances from Lazar Samardžić and Mateo Retegui, Madrid held firm, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois making crucial saves to maintain their lead.
Mbappé’s early impact
Mbappé, who had been sidelined in recent matches, showed he was back to his best from the outset.
KYLIAN MBAPPÉ OUVRE LE SCORE POUR LE REAL MADRID ! ⚡️
Le Français marque son 50ème but en Ligue des champions et lance les siens face à l’Atalanta 🇫🇷#ATARMA | #UCL pic.twitter.com/OSxxS6KJj9
— CANAL+ Foot (@CanalplusFoot) December 10, 2024
The Frenchman was heavily involved in the opening stages, forcing Carnesecchi into an early save before clinically scoring in the 10th minute.
A brilliant controlled strike from Mbappé put Real Madrid ahead, marking his 50th career Champions League goal.
Had it not been for Atalanta’s goalkeeper, it could have been his 51st, but Mbappé was substituted in the 35th minute after suffering an injury.
Atalanta leveled the score just before the break through Charles De Ketelaere, who converted a penalty awarded for a foul by Aurélien Tchouaméni on Sead Kolašinac.
This penalty, scored in the second minute of added time, sent the teams into the interval with a 1-1 draw.
Real Madrid’s resilience
Despite losing their star forward, Real Madrid showed their depth with a commanding second-half performance.
The team had to rely on the collective strength of their remaining players, particularly Bellingham and Vinícius, to seal the victory.
Atalanta’s efforts to secure a point were thwarted, as Carnesecchi was called into action multiple times, including saving a chance from Rodrygo and preventing a fourth Madrid goal.
The result leaves Atalanta in 9th place with 11 points, slipping out of the top 8 in the group.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid moved closer to securing qualification for the knockout stages, with 18 points from their campaign so far.
Despite the win, the injury to Mbappé will be a concern for Madrid as they head into the final stages of the competition.
