Real won 2-0 in Warsaw thanks to goals from Fede Valverde and new signing Kylian Mbappé on his debut.
Ancelotti later said: “I’m very happy. It is an honour and a privilege to coach this team and today we played well. It was a difficult game in the first half because Atalanta played very well. They were very strong in duels and we struggled, but as soon as the adjustment opened up a bit, we might see the quality we had from the start.
“Mbappé has quality. He worked well, combining with his teammates and running defense. The team didn’t play well in the first half, but they worked very well defensively and that was the vital thing. When the spaces were open, it was less difficult for us. All the attacking players like Bellingham, Vini and Rodrygo contributed.
“Bellingham, Valverde and Tchouameni have done a great job. It is a very different game, with many duels and duels; it is difficult to seek superiority. Our idea is to bet more vertically, to bet behind. The first break We did not have a good time, but then we had “A lot of area and more chances. The three of them played very well, especially defensively, and gave balance to the team in defense. “
Speaking about his Atalanta counterpart, Gian Piero Gasperini, he said: “I congratulated him on the game they played. I told him that playing against Atalanta was like going to the dentist. They were very strong in the duels and, when they slowed down, we had more area and we were able to take the lead.