In a dramatic battle, Carlo Ancelotti’s team kept their hopes alive for the Champions League knockout stages. Atalanta went toe-to-toe with Europe’s record champions, dominating possession and creating waves of attacks. They fought hard, equalizing once and cutting the deficit a second time. But when it came to the third time, they couldn’t break through Real Madrid’s resolute defense, desperate to return to winning ways.
On Tuesday night, Real secured a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Italian club’s home ground.
Vinícius Júnior, returning from injury, played a pivotal role in the win by scoring and assisting. After two consecutive defeats in the Champions League, the record 15-time champions found their winning rhythm again. Kylian Mbappé, who had promised a resurgence last week, scored in his second consecutive match. His brilliant goal tied the game just before halftime after Charles De Ketelaere had equalized earlier. In the second half, Vinícius and Jude Bellingham struck within three minutes to put Real on the path to victory.
Ademola Lookman pulled one back for Atalanta to keep them in the game, but despite multiple efforts, the Italians couldn’t find a third goal.
Atalanta maintained about 55% possession, attempting 20 shots with nine on target, compared to Real Madrid’s 10 shots, six of which hit the target. With three wins from six matches, Real climbed to 18th place with 9 points.
Atalanta, who had kept clean sheets in their first four matches of the tournament, conceded three goals this time. With 11 points, they slipped to ninth place.
Determined to win at all costs, Real launched their first attack in the second minute, with Mbappé’s shot saved by the goalkeeper. But the French forward, eager to regain his form, couldn’t be contained for long. In the 10th minute, he latched onto Brahim Díaz’s pass, dodged the last defender, and scored with a precise angled shot. This marked Mbappé’s 50th goal in the Champions League in just 79 appearances.
Four minutes later, Mbappé came close to doubling the lead, but his shot from outside the box was stopped by the goalkeeper. Atalanta recovered from the early blow and began to threaten with counterattacks. By the 35th minute, they had taken more shots than Real, though they struggled to truly test Thibaut Courtois.
Real suffered a setback in the 36th minute when Mbappé left the field with an injury, replaced by the returning forward Rodrygo.
Just seconds before halftime, Aurelien Tchouaméni fouled Sead Kolašinac in the box, conceding a penalty. Charles De Ketelaere stepped up and converted with a superb spot-kick, leveling the game.
Buoyed by the equalizer, Atalanta started the second half confidently, creating two strong chances within three minutes. In the 54th minute, Lookman’s powerful shot from outside the box was acrobatically saved by Courtois.
Lookman’s missed chance proved costly, as Real struck twice within three minutes. In the 56th minute, Vinícius capitalized on a defensive error, collecting the ball in the box and slotting it past the goalkeeper with a low shot. Moments later, Vinícius set up Bellingham, who weaved past a defender and fired a low shot into the net to make it 3-1.
Atalanta, unbeaten in nine consecutive Serie A matches and 11 across all competitions, didn’t take long to respond. In the 65th minute, Lookman muscled past Lucas Vázquez in the box and rifled a low shot past the near post to make it 3-2.
The Italians piled on the pressure in the final minutes, pinning Real back with relentless attacks. In the dying moments, Mateo Retegui missed a clear chance from close range, sealing their defeat.
In another match, PSG thrashed Salzburg 3-0 to climb to 24th place with 7 points. Meanwhile, Liverpool defeated Girona 1-0 earlier in the day, sitting comfortably at the top with 18 points and securing their spot in the knockout stages.
