Seeking to rescue their Champions League campaign, Real Madrid travel to Italy to face Atalanta desperately needing a result to remain afloat in the race for a knockout stage spot.
The Whites, current European champions, have recently occupied the last place in the standings, 24th with only six draws in five games. If they fall further in the rankings, they will be in an elimination position with very little time to climb back up.
To boost their chances, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo will both return to the squad after missing time due to injury in recent weeks, which left Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe on an island up front. Yet Madrid have recently shown signs of a return to form, blasting Girona on the road over the weekend to climb back into the La Liga title race.
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Atalanta will present a much bigger challenge, as they sit fifth in the Champions League table and top of the Serie A standings. The Goddess struggled to begin the year but have not lost since late September, beating AC Milan over the weekend to move their winning streak to nine.
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Real Madrid may have picked up big wins in recent times, but they still want to show that they can succeed early on with Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo all together. Mbappé had trouble sharing the limelight with his new teammates.
Atalanta, meanwhile, have been utterly spectacular in just about every phase of the game. Ademola Lookman continues to deliver in big spots, including his 87th minute winner against AC Milan over the weekend, giving Atalanta a deserved win at home against a quality opponent.
Unless Real Madrid find a magic solution as soon as possible, Atalanta is simply the better team at the moment.
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Atalanta’s attack has been a sleeping giant all year, and it’s about to wake up. They have scored two or more goals in all nine games of their current winning streak and shot 2. 38 xG on 22 shots last time out. , against Celtic in a 0-0 draw at the end of October.
The last time these two teams matched up in the Super Cup to begin the year, they managed just seven shots and one big chance, but Real Madrid’s struggles had not yet set in by that point. Los Blancos are coughing up more chances than normal in the last few months, and they have not done well weathering opposition waves as they normally do.
If Madrid need to get a result here, they will most likely have to beat Atalanta or get lucky if their opponent misses quality chances. Given Ademola Lookman’s form and propensity to capitalize on opportunities, this is unlikely.
While Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have played more than their share in recent months, the two players who sparked Atalanta’s attack are Ademola Lookman and Charles de Ketelaere.
Lookman has scored six goals in his last six Serie A games, including three combined against big opponents Napoli and AC Milan. Tack on two goals in his last three European games, and he’s certified heating up.
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De Ketelaere, meanwhile, has begun the hard work of rehabilitating his slow start in Serie A over the past two months, in the 99th percentile of Serie A attacking midfielders in progressive passes and moves to the final third group and in the 89th consistently . with percentile. in goal movements (0. 67 corresponding to 90 minutes, which is exceptional). Those numbers are just as smart in the Champions League, and he will be key to any disappointment here.
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Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.