Real Madrid hold off Atalanta for much-needed Champions League win

Real Madrid breathed life back into their Champions League campaign after holding off Atalanta to earn a 3-2 victory in Bergamo.

Two rapid-fire goals in the second half proved the difference as Carlo Ancelotti’s team earned just their third win from six games to climb to 11th, as first Vinicius Junior then Jude Bellingham scored to make it 3-1 and ease the pressure on the European champions.

Ademola Lookman scored to make to 3-2 and set up a nervous finish. In the first half, Kylian Mbappe had given Real the lead before Charles De Ketelaere equalised from the penalty spot.

Real broke the deadlock after 11 minutes and it was a fine finish from Mbappe to settle the visiting side’s nerves. Brahim Diaz collected the ball in midfield and knocked the ball up to the feet of Mbappe, who took a touch and then darted beyond the flat-footed Marten de Roon before rifling the ball low into the bottom corner.

It ought to have been two a few minutes later when Mbappe was given space to run straight through the middle from Federico Valverde’s pass but, under pressure from defender Isak Hien, took his shot early, allowing goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi to beat the ball away with two firm palms.

Atalanta had their first sight of goal when De Ketelaere was first to reach Lookman’s ball but could only divert his effort into the gloves of Thibaut Courtois.

Mbappe lasted until the 35th minute before being withdrawn carrying an injury, then a second goal almost arrived from an unlikely source when Antonio Rudiger appeared inside the box to fling his head at Bellingham’s cross but thumped his effort beyond the post.

The game took a turn with virtually the final action of the first half. Aurelien Tchouameni was rash in his challenge on Sead Kolasinac and from the penalty spot up stepped De Ketelaere to send Courtois the wrong way and find the roof of the net.

Real’s goalkeeper was called upon to keep Lookman’s low, near-post drive out nine minutes into the second half, getting down smartly and holding on to the Atalanta forward’s well-struck effort.

The hosts had been the better team since the goal but they were undone by two moments of razor-sharp finishing. First, Vinicius reacted quickest when the ball broke to him inside the box and he lashed it across Carnesecchi and in, then moments later Bellingham showed quick feet to step inside De Roon and arrow the ball low into the net to make it 3-1.

Lookman, who was named as UEFA’s official player of the match despite his side’s loss, restored Atalanta’s interest in the game when he seemingly caught Courtois by surprise at his near post after collecting Lazar Samardzic’s pass.

And they missed a golden chance to steal a famous point with virtually the last kick of the game, Mateo Retegui contriving to hoist the ball over the bar from three yards out as Real clung on.