Real Madrid are known for their style and flavour, but at this stage of the season, Carlo Ancelotti will not have a taste preference.
Lacking glamour beyond what is required, a desperate Whites pulled off a critical 3-2 Champions League win on the road against an in-form Atalanta, even if that potentially comes at a cost.
Kyilan Mbappé began scoring in the 10th minute, appearing to add another point to the argument that he would possibly return to his most productive form. However, his greatest hopes were dashed after half an hour of play, as he had to leave due to injury and was replaced by Rodrygo.
MORE: Latest news on Kylian Mbappe’s hamstring injury suffered in the first half of the win over Atalanta
Atalanta scored on the stroke of halftime, further plummeting Madrid back into the darkness, but they would not be denied on the day. Vinicius Jr. scored with his first attempt on goal shortly after the restart, and just three minutes later Jude Bellingham had also found the net for a 3-1 lead.
The hosts, winners of nine straight games, would not go quietly, as the prolific Ademola Lookman pulled them a goal back just past the hour mark. But their hard work in search of an equalizer would go unrewarded as Mateo Retegui agonizingly missed a sitter bang on the fulltime whistle.
Sporting News followed the Atalanta vs Real Madrid match live, offering results updates, observations and highlights as they unfolded.
Start: nine o’clock at night. local time (3 p. m. ET / 12 p. m. PT) Venue: Gewiss Stadium (Bergamo, Italy) Referee: Szymon Marciniak (POL)
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Starting lineups:
Atalanta (3-5-2, from right to left): 2. Carnesecchi (GK) – 19. Djimsiti (Kossounou, 65′), 4. Hien, 23. Kolasinac – 16. Bellanova (Zappacosta, 75′), 15 . De Roon, thirteen years old. Ederson, 22 years old. Ruggeri, 8 years old. Pasalic (Samardzic, 58′) — 17. De Ketelaere (Retegui, 75′), 11. Lookman.
Real Madrid (4-3-3, left): 1. Courtois (GK) – 17. Vázquez, 14. Tchouameni, 22. Rudiger, 20. F García – 8. Valverde, 21. 5. Bellingham (GulerArray 87 ‘ ), 19. Ceballos (Modric, 84′) — 9. Mbappé (Rodrygo, 36′), 7. Vinicius, B. Díaz (Asencio, 84’).
MORE: Find out how to stream the Atalanta vs Real Madrid match
FULL TIME: Atalanta 2-3 Real Madrid
Retegui’s heartbreaking miss was the last shot of the match, and it didn’t result in a last-minute equalizer for the hosts, but it did result in a much-needed three points for Real Madrid!
An absolutely critical result for Real Madrid who needed that win in the worst way, pulling them away from the elimination zone. Unfortunately, it may have come at a cost as Kylian Mbappe’s injury will worry the Madrid faithful amidst a season plagued by injuries.
90+3 min: Chance, Atalanta! HOW DID MATEO RETEGUI NOT SCORE?!?!?!? Ademola Lookman puts the ball on a platter just two yards from goal, an absolute SITTER for the Atalanta striker, but as he pokes his foot out to redirect the ball into the net, he bafflingly puts it over the bar!
90 2 min: With 4 minutes of stoppage time, Atalanta makes a magnificent effort to equalize more and more desperately. Vinicius Jr. fell spectacularly on the ball and Odilon Koussounou tried to lift the Brazilian, knowing that time was running out. This sparked a fight and the Atalanta boy was reserved.
Lucas Vazquez is also shown a yellow card for his part in the fracas, which means he will be suspended for the next Champions League match due to accumulation.
84th min: Carlo Ancelotti makes a double change as Dani Ceballos and Brahim Diaz exit. Entering are Luka Modrid and young Raul Asencio, the latter of whom is young and highly touted by Madrid fans, who have clamored for him to see the field more. Ceballos looks to be dealing with a fitness issue as he exits.
A few minutes later, Jude Bellingham passed on for Ancelotti in favor of Arda Guler.
80th minute: Ederson is brought down by Federico Valverde, who catches the Brazilian in the ankle as he passes, and the whistle blows, giving Atalanta a dangerous loose shot about 25 yards from goal in a central location. Up front is Lazar Samardzic, who shoots after a touch from Maarten de Roon, but is weak and easy to save on open ground.
78th minute: Inspired by the changes, Atalanta returns to the attacking third, but the tension ends with a thud when a damaging shot from substitute Lazar Samardzic is deflected and falls perfectly into the arms of Thibaut.
75th minute: Gasperini makes a triple replacement for Atalanta with the departure of Charles De Ketelaere, Raoul Bellanova and Berat Djimsiti. Mateo Retegui, Davide Zappacosta and Odilon Kossounou enter the match, contributing legs.
These are all direct exchanges. Kossounou’s entry looks potentially forced as Djimsiti appears to have taken a hit.
70th min: Chance, Real Madrid! Brahim Diaz fires a volley over the crossbar with a great chance to score! It’s a shot with a high degree of difficulty, as he looks to redirect a looping ball on goal from about eight yards out, but he gets the angle wrong and blasts it into the crowd.
Moments later, Marco Carnesecchi makes a save on Rodrygo who rips a right-footed effort from left of the penalty spot but places it far too close to the Atalanta goalkeeper.
Minute 65: GOAL! ATALANTA! The hosts quietly leave, while Ademola Lookman fights back just as you expected! What a fabulous and stimulating game it has become!
Thibaut Courtois makes a great save to deny Raoul Bellanova on an initial effort, but as Atalanta recycle possession around to the left, Lookman scores an all-too-easy goal by cutting vertically on his left and slicing the ball inside the near post!
VIDEO: Watch Lookman goal in USA | Watch in UK | Watch in Australia
Minute 59: GOAL! THE REAL MADRID! THE JUDE BELLINGHAM CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IS BACK! Real Madrid woke up when Jude Bellingham scored his first UCL goal in his last 19 appearances! Once again, this comes from a relatively innocent passage of play, when the England foreigner receives a long ball on the right. but Maarten de Roon is never pressured. Bellingham cuts inside to his left and coolly fires into the back of the net as he falls.
Atalanta controlled this match, two moments of laziness left them two goals behind!
VIDEO: Watch Bellingham’s goal in the United States | See in Canada | View in the UK | View in Australia
Minute 56: GOAL! THE REAL MADRID! REAL MADRID HAS RETURNED FROM NOWHERE! Los Blancos had been creative so in this half, but on a free pass that deflected off a defender, the ball landed perfectly in the path of Vinicius Jr, who beat his man with a vertical run and passed the goalkeeper. . !
VIDEO: Watch Vinicius Jr’s goal in the United States | View in Canada | View in the UK | View in Australia
In the aftermath of the goal, Mario Pasalic is withdrawn as Atalanta’s first substitute, replaced by Lazar Samardzic.
53rd min: Vinicius Jr. goes to ground in the penalty area under a tackle from Ederson, but the referee rightly waves play on, and there’s not much protest from the Brazilian or his teammates.
2nd half kickoff: They’re back under way with it all to play for in the second half. No changes for either team as far as personnel are concerned.
BREAK: Atalanta 1-1 Real Madrid
At first things were going very well for Real Madrid, who took the lead thanks to a goal from Kylian Mbappé in the 10th minute, but since then everything has fallen apart. Mbappé came out injured and Real Madrid conceded just before the break. It was happening, because Atalanta was the bigger team in the first half, especially in the last 20 minutes before the break.
More and more so for Carlo Ancelotti, who no longer has any margin for error in European football.
45+1 min: PENALTY, ATALANTA! Aurelien Tchouameni, filling in at center-back for Real Madrid, clips the heel of Sead Kolasinac as he makes a vertical charge on the ball, and the referee doesn’t hesitate for a moment as he points towards the spot!
Charles de Ketelaere intervenes to take and. . . GOALS!GOAL, ATALANTA! The gamemaker is there with aplomb, as he perfectly sends a howitzer into the right corner!We are tied heading into halftime!
VIDEO: Watch Atalanta goal in USA | Watch in Canada | Watch in UK | Watch in Australia
Aurélien Tchouaméni cuts Sead Kolašinac in the and Charles De Ketelaere brings a point to Atalanta against Real Madrid ? pic. twitter. com/HKDH7cC4Xj
40th minute: Luck, Real Madrid! The visitors have not had much in front of purpose to savour since the first purpose, yet Antonio Rudiger comes close with a header possibility on a deep delivery from Dani Ceballos that played in through Jude Bellingham!The defender puts it next to the left post after Bellingham puts it on a platter.
Minute 35: INJURY – Kylian Mbappé is in the center of the field with the ball and asks for medical attention, sitting on his back while the coaches arrive. This is a real challenge for Madrid, who have already had more than their fair share of injuries this season. . .
He leaves alone after a very brief verbal exchange and chats with Carlo Ancelotti. Then he goes to the Madrid bench and leaves. It’s difficult to say precisely what happened or what the challenge is, but it is an immediate and significant fear for Los Blancos. Rodrygo replaces the Frenchman, while the playing environment deteriorates considerably.
31st minute: Ademola Lookman, unsurprisingly Atalanta’s most dangerous striker so far, attempts an attempt just outside the most sensitive left corner of the penalty area, but shoots wildly and goes well beyond the far post. of the purpose from this position.
Minute 28: Atalanta absolutely controlled the last 10 minutes and managed to keep the ball in the third attacking field for quite some time. However, they are suffering because of Madrid’s physicality, which lately prevents the locals from testing Thibaut Courtois. Ademola Lookman pushes a defender’s back to create area and get a big turnover, resulting in a foul and ending his possession.
21st minute: Good luck, Atalanta! YOU MUST BE LAUGHING AT ME! TCOUAMENI DOES IT AGAIN! ANOTHER big block to save Ederson from testing Courtois!This time, the Frenchman sticks his leg out to deftly place his foot on the Brazilian’s line of scrimmage.
20th minute: Good luck, Atalanta! Another great counter-attack by Real Madrid, this time by Antonio Rüdiger, who took advantage of a shot by Charles De Ketelaere that slowed down the ball considerably and made it easier for Thibaut Courtois!I walk through the trees.
Minute 17: Good luck, Atalanta! Brahim Díaz is exceptionally lucky to be cautioned by Polish referee Szymon Marciniak when he knocks down an Atalanta player in transition, but is punished for nothing more than an undeniable foul.
Atalanta temporarily takes the loose shot and creates a quality opportunity by temporarily advancing, but there is a great block from a Madrid defender to save him the access pass in front of the goal. This game is awesome!
Minute 14: Good luck, Real Madrid! Real Madrid fiercely deflects Lookman’s chance, and Kylian Mbappé forces a magnificent save from Marco Carnesecchi!
Minute 14: Good luck, Atalanta! Aurelien Tchouameni performs an ultimate counterattack to prevent Ademola Lookman from taking a damaging shot on goal!This is a fabulous effort by Tchouameni that saves you a quick response!
Minute 10: GOAL! THE REAL MADRID! KYLIAN MBAPPE HAS ARRIVED! Receiving a pass from Brahim Díaz at the head of the box with his back to goal, the Frenchman made a sensational first touch to get around his bewildered defender and finish softly past the goalkeeper.
It’s Mbappe’s second Champions League goal for Real Madrid, and first since their opener against Stuttgart in mid-September!
VIDEO: Watch Mbappé’s goal in the United States | View in Canada | View in the UK | View in Australia
? @KMbappé ? #UCL pic. twitter. com/M83GpCQWnT
8th min: Real Madrid had controlled the early portion of this match, with Brahim Diaz looking incisive, but Atalanta have managed to work a response and now are enjoying a spell of attacking possession themselves. A lively start to this match.
Minute 2: Good luck, Real Madrid! Kylian Mbappé purposely clears up from a tight angle on the right, but Marco Carnesecchi saves the last shot space!
Home: They are underway in Bergamo! Both teams have a lot at stake: Atalanta are on the cusp of being in the top eight and would be a contender for a breakout win, while Real Madrid are just hoping to avoid sinking further into the risk of elimination.
15 mins to kickoff: Having Thibaut Courtois back in goal for Real Madrid has been important. Two of their three Champions League defeats came in his absence, although it’s hard to truly blame Andriy Lunin for those, since Madrid scored a combined one goal over those two games).
? ? @thibautcourtois #UCL pic. twitter. com/Mnj6MtGZx3
30 mins before kick-off: Jude Bellingham exploded at Real Madrid last season, scoring in his first 4 Champions League games with the club, yet has been silent since then in European competition. His 18 shots his goal-scoring streak are value 2. 3 xG in total, which means he wishes to score a goal. They may just use it today to save their European position.
12 – Jude Bellingham hasn’t scored in any of his last 12 appearances in the UEFA Champions League for Real Madrid, having netted in each of his first four for the club (four goals). Bellingham has attempted 18 shots across these 12 games (2.3 xG). Necessary. pic.twitter.com/tDreUVV0D3
45 mins to kickoff: The new Champions League format was crafted in part to give big clubs more room for error in reaching the knockout stage, but the likes of PSG and Real Madrid have still struggled to put their best foot forward and are at risk of elimination. The CBS Sports crew discussed the new format in their pregame show broadcast in the United States. Their studio show is always a blast, before during and after matches, and has gained notoriety for its perfect balance of analysis and nonsense.
For example, CBS sent Micah Richards and Alessandro Del Piero on site in Bergamo, and apparently Micah Richards had a haircut snafu which gave the crew a laugh. Del Piero said they have enjoyed the wine and food in Italy, as you do.
The new format of the #UCL has had shocking effects on large groups ?@kate_scott, Thierry Henry, @Carra23 and @clint_dempsey talk about Real Madrid and PSG’s campaigns pic. twitter. com/LwTl28Lhv2 ⬇️
1 hour before kick-off: Atalanta’s lineup is now available and goes as expected with a classic Gian Piero Gasperini trio. The chemistry between Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere has been brilliant this season, and we predicted the two would mix it up against an out-of-form Real Madrid backline.
MORE: Check out our full preview of predictions, bets and fixtures for today’s match by clicking here.
1 hour and 15 minutes before kick-off: Atalanta’s recent form is even more surprising compared to that of Real Madrid, who have not resisted the demands of the rival they had to face. They have 3 defeats in five Champions League games played. against Lille, AC Milan and Liverpool, while the last league match they lost against Athletic Club.
It has been a great crusade for Carlo Ancelotti, and Los Blancos cannot suffer another negative result in the European game. They currently occupy the last place in the standings with only 3 games left, and a loss here could leave them in an elimination position. Could the reigning champion, the most successful European club, bounce back in the championship phase?
With 1 hour and 30 minutes to go, Atalanta’s recent form is one to behold. They are unbeaten in 14 consecutive games in all competitions, adding nine consecutive victories. Although many of those games were pitted against opposing teams they were expected to beat, there were wins against AC Milan and Napoli in that stretch, and consistency is something that many of Europe’s top clubs might envy.
They occupy first position in the Serie A standings and fifth in the Champions League standings. Can they maintain this speed for a long season? Gian Piero Gasperini really deserves a season like this, especially after winning the Europa League last year!
Atalanta is the best-placed team in Serie A, fifth in the UCL standings and undefeated in 14 games since September. They have beaten teams like Napoli, Roma and AC Milan and have faced Arsenal this season. fit opposite Real Madrid ? pic. twitter. com/dNVMERTElR
1 hour 45 mins to kick: In typical Real Madrid fashion, Carlo Ancelotti’s starting lineup has already been made public, and there are a few talking points.
First, while Vinicius Jr. returns to the starting lineup after a short spell out with injury, fellow Brazilian Rodrygo is not fit enough to make the XI, with Brahim Diaz in there instead. Additionally, it’s Dani Ceballos in midfield instead of Luka Modric, with Eduardo Camavinga still out injured.
There are 3 young players on the Madrid bench, due to their heavy injury burden. Among the substitutes is the left back Youssef Enríquez, 19 years old, a young Spanish foreigner who also played in the Moroccan youth team, while alongside Sergio Mestre there will also be the young midfielder Chema Andrés.
2 hours to kickoff: Carlo Ancelotti had a humorous moment in his pre-match press conference before this game. There’s been a lot of talk about Kylian Mbappe’s fit at Real Madrid since joining in the summer, but a couple goals in his last few matches have quieted that for now.
Ancelotti is rarely used to talking about other topics and joked at the end of the press conference that this was perhaps the first time all year that he did not answer a single question about Mbappe.
? La frase de Ancelotti sobre Mbappé que puso a los 100 de la sala de prensa a carcajada limpia#UCL pic.twitter.com/YfDSg9W2UZ
This Champions League match will begin at the Gewiss Stadium on Tuesday, December 10 at nine pm. local time in Bergamo, Italy. Here’s how this era reached some of the world’s major territories:
Mateo Retegui started from the bench in Atalanta’s win over AC Milan, however, he should once again lead their frontline against Real Madrid from the start.
Atalanta come into this match without the likes of Gianluca Scamacca, Davide Zappacosta and Juan Cuadrado who are sidelined with injuries.
Atalanta XI (3-5-2): Carnesecchi (GK) – Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac – Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri, Pasalic – De Ketelaere, Lookman.
Atalanta substitutes (11): Rossi (goalkeeper), Patricio (goalkeeper), Godfrey, Zappacosta, Palestra, Kossounou, Toloi, Samardzic, Brescianini, Zaniolo, Retegui.
Ancelotti has been boosted by two major comebacks and Rodrygo has a fit after missing the 3-0 La Liga win over Girona with a muscle injury. Fellow Brazilian Vinicius Junior is also back, after missing the last 4 games, and either player is in contention to start for Italy. Vini returns to the starting eleven, but Rodrygo has compatibility on the bench.
Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Eder Militao will remain out for long periods, with Ferland Mendy out until the beginning of 2025. Fran Garcia is expected to update Mendy at left-back, but Eduardo Camavinga has stayed in Madrid as a precaution.
Real Madrid lineup (4-3-3): Courtois (GK) – Vázquez, Tchouameni, Rudiger, F García – Valverde, Bellingham, Ceballos – B. Díaz, Mbappé, Vinicius.
Real Madrid subs (10): Lunin (GK), Mestre (GK), Vallejo, Y. Enriquez, Andres, Modric, Asensio, Guler, Rodrygo, Endrick.
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.