Real Madrid Edge Atalanta In Champions League Thriller

Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium in a pulsating Champions League encounter, giving Madrid the needed lifeline to reach the knockout stages. 

The visitors drew the opening goal from Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman received a through pass good enough to latch onto and smacked the ball down bottom right of the post. Atalanta seized the stoppages of the first period to level the scores through De Ketelaere's penalty. 

Madrid regained their composure in the second half, with Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham scoring the second and third goal respectively to restore lead to the side. Ademola Lookman later narrowed the lead drilling a shot home from inside the box. 

Mbappe's goal was his 50th in the Champions League. The away victory will be Madrid's first in the Champions League this season. As Atalanta keep ahead in ninth place in the standings, Madrid maintain safety in the 18th position. 

Overview

Real let it slide for the first stretch, and besides that, Atalanta was the better side anyway. Mbappe's goal was delightful but the forward later cooled off as Real barely could have the ball in their possession to work something out of. Atalanta explored all sides with Lookman and Ketelaere making efforts through the wings until Pasalic drew a spot kick on the brink of halftime. 

The game changed quickly after halftime break and Atalanta remained in the trail. Mbappe was the standout performer for Madrid but his time on the pitch was brief. Rodrygo, who replaced the Frenchman fired up the side and Vinicius was even more vicious in the second period. Good football from Lookman. He remains a prominent player for the Italian side likewise De Ketelaere. 

The match got off to a flying start, with Mbappe scoring his 50th Champions League goal in the 10th minute. However, Atalanta refused to back down, and their persistence paid off in the 45+2 minute when De Ketelaere converted a penalty to level the scores. The second half was a different story altogether, as Madrid regained their composure and began to dictate the tempo of the game. Vinicius Junior restored Madrid's lead in the 56th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error to slot past Carnessechi. Jude Bellingham scored Madrid's third goal in the 63rd minute, proving to be the decisive blow. Atalanta's late surge yielded only a consolation goal from Lookman in the 65th minute.

Kylian Mbappe was the standout performer for Madrid, scoring his 50th Champions League goal and causing problems for the Atalanta defence throughout the match. Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham also impressed, scoring crucial goals to seal the win. De Ketelaere and Lookman were the bright sparks for Atalanta, scoring their team's two goals.

Real Madrid's 3-2 victory over Atalanta marked a thrilling encounter between two teams with different objectives in the Champions League. While Atalanta can take heart from their spirited performance, Madrid's victory was a testament to their resilience and ability to adapt under pressure.