Real Madrid defeated Atalanta 3-2 on Tuesday, thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, and Jude Bellingham, as the holders ended a two-game Champions League losing streak.
Kylian Mbappe Opens the Scoring but Suffers Injury
Real handed the Serie A leaders their first Champions League defeat this season after Mbappe opened the scoring with a strike from inside the box in the 10th minute before being forced off with an injury.
Atalanta Responds but Madrid Stays Ahead
Charles de Ketelaere levelled with a penalty after Aurelien Tchouameni slipped Sead Kolasinac from behind shortly before halftime. Still, Vinicius Jr scored a rebound in the 56th minute to put the visitors ahead.
Bellingham extended their lead three minutes later on a counterattack. Still, Ademola Lookman cut the deficit in the 65th minute before Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois worked his magic with a string of saves to seal a hard-fought victory.
Champions League Standings Tighten
With two games remaining, Real is 18th in the 36-team table with nine points, three points behind the top eight, which ensures direct qualification to the last 16. Atlanta is ninth with 11 points after slipping into the playoff picture.
Players Reflect on a Vital Win
It was a fantastic game, and we’re glad Real Madrid won, Brahim Diaz, who set up Mbappe for the opener, told Movistar Plus.
“We came here with confidence, and for the players, these games demonstrate that we are cut out to play for a club like Real Madrid. This team still has a lot to give, and we plan to give even more.
“We’ll take it one game at a time. We can finish with 15 points if we win our final two games and then see what happens. Things are progressing as they should, which is encouraging.
Real Madrid Struggles in Europe
Real Madrid has struggled in their European title defence after a fantastic season in which they won record-breaking titles in La Liga and Champions League.
They had lost three of their previous four continental matches before travelling to Italy to face Atalanta, who were undefeated in the competition and had conceded just one goal.
Kylian Mbappe Impact and Forced Substitution
Mbappe, who has been criticised for his inconsistent start at Real, started the game well and forced Marco Carnesecchi into a couple of fine early saves, but the keeper could do nothing to prevent the France captain from giving Real the lead.
He scored with a low strike from inside the box after superbly controlling Diaz’s pass with one touch, moving the ball past a defender and into the box where he scored.
It was all going so well for the visitors until Mbappe was forced off in the 35th minute with what appeared to be a muscle injury, and was replaced by Rodrygo.
Key Moments and Courtois Heroics
After Antonio Ruediger missed a close-range sitter in the 39th minute, De Ketelaere fired a rocket into the top corner to level the score, but just as Atalanta was gaining confidence after the break, they gifted Vinicius a rebound, which he did not miss.
Bellingham scored three minutes later, but after Lookman scored with a low strike from the edge of the box, Courtois made crucial saves to deny Raoul Bellanova, Mateo Retegui, Matteo Ruggeri, and Lazar Samardzic to seal the victory.
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