Real Madrid - Atalanta: summary, score, goals, highlights 2024 UEFA Super Cup
Real Madrid - Atalanta: UEFA Super Cup live updates
Real Madrid 2-0 Atalanta: full-time thoughts
If the first half was fairly evenly-matched, the second was anything but. Rodrygo had the best chance of the opening 45 minutes, smashing off the crossbar just before the break, although Atalanta would’ve been happy with their performance, with the likes of Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinícius kept quiet. The Italians also hit the woodwork, De Roon’s cross clipping the bar after flicking off Militão. The second half belonged to Los Blancos, although they did need Courtois to make a superb stop to deny Pasalic in its opening stages. After that, Bellingham and Vinícius turned on the style as Madrid played at a tempo Atalanta struggled to deal with. The Brazilian winger mesmerised the opposition defence, laying the opening goal on a plate for Valverde just before the hour mark. But a goal from Mbappé was what we were all waiting for, and it finally came less than 10 minutes later. It initially looked as if the chance had gone, but Bellingham picked out a superb pass for the Frenchman to lash high past Musso. From then on, the result was never in doubt, and the LaLiga giants passed up more chances to secure an even more comfortable victory. A record sixth UEFA Super Cup for Real Madrid and the first of what they hope will be many trophies this season.
When do Real Madrid play next? When is Mbappé's LaLiga debut?
The UEFA Super Cup was Real Madrid's last game before their LaLiga campaign gets underway. The Spanish top flight kicks off with two games tomorrow (Thursday, August 15), although CarloAncelotti's team won't be in action until Sunday (August 18), when they visit Mallorca (kickoff at 3:30 p.m. ET). We'll have live text coverage of the game from Palma, in which you'll be able to see whether or not Mbappé can edge closer towards that 50-goal target...
Mbappé's first trophy in first Real Madrid game
One game, one goal, one trophy. Kylian Mbappé is up and running as a Real Madrid player and has helped Real Madrid do what Real Madrid tend to do - win big games.
Carlo Ancelotti equals Real Madrid trophy record
And it's not just Modric. Carlo Ancelotti is at it too, almost! The Italian has equalled the legendary Miguel Muñoz as the Real Madrid coach with the most trophies ever. Carletto has now won 14 competitions (2 x LaLiga, 2 x Copa del Rey, 2 x Spanish Super Cup, 3 x Champions League, 3 x UEFA Super Cup, 2 x FIFA Club World Cup).
Luka Modric becomes most decorated Real Madrid player
The 2024 UEFA Super Cup victory means Luka Modric is now the most decorated player in Real Madrid history!27 trophies...and counting. Surely there will be another one or two coming his way later in the season? That's why he stuck around for another year...
Real Madrid lift the UEFA Super Cup!
Real Madrid are now collecting their winners medals, and it'll be Luka Modric who lifts the trophy! 'We Are The Champions' (as it it could be anything else) rings around the National Stadium in Warsaw.
Atalanta collect runners-up medals
Atalanta are first up to collect their runners-up medals (much nice than losers medals). A first ever appearance for the Bergamo side in the UEFA Super Cup, it's a shame they had to go into the game without four first-choice players.
As well as getting their hands on a trophy, Real Madrid are also getting a little financial reward for winning the first European competition of the season. And the emphasis is on the word 'little', at least by comparison to the Champions League and other tournaments they'll be taking part in. Although, in fairness, they did only need to play one game to win it. Here's the lowdown on UEFA Super Cup prize money.
Real Madrid win first trophy of a possible seven
UEFA Super Cup down, six more trophies to go. Real Madrid could, quite incredibly, end the season with seven pieces of silverware in their trophy cabinet. Still to play for: LaLiga, Champions League, Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
Kylian Mbappé scores first Real Madrid goal in Super Cup win
A moment that will live long in the memory of Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid fans around the world. The 25-year-old ran onto a Jude Bellingham pass inside the box and emphatically lashed past Musso to seal a well-deserved win for Carlo Ancelotti's team.
Real Madrid win the UEFA Super Cup!
It's all over! Real Madrid have won the 2024 UEFA Super Cup, with Kylian Mbappé scoring on his debut! Los Blancos couldn't have scripted it better!
Absolutely no danger of Atalanta getting back into this, with just a minute or so left to play. Real Madrid will be getting their hands on their first trophy of the season!
Two minutes of injury time to be played.
Atalanta substitutions
Pasalic and Hien have gone off for the Italians, replaced by Paletsra and Manzoni.
This has petered out completely for Atalanta, who just haven't been able to cope with Real Madrid in the second half.
Real Madrid substitutions
Ovations for Bellingham, Vinícius and Carvajal as they are replaced by Ceballos, Güler and Lucas Vázquez. Bellingham and Vini were superb in the second half.
Lookman gets past Carvajal and tries into the Real Madrid box. Not for the first time, he takes one touch too many and allow the Madrid defence to recover and snuff out the attack as he feeds a pass into the box.
Kylian Mbappé's Real Madrid debut over
It's all over for Kylian Mbappé. A debut goal for the Frenchman for the first time in his career! Brahim Díaz takes his place.
Vinícius close to a Madrid third!
Vinícius runs rings around Djimsiti again and his cross from the left flicks off an Atalanta boot and almost drops in at the far post!
A little bit naughty there from Lookman, who leaves one in on Carvajal. The defender initially looks as if he's seriously injured but changes his mind, instead chasing after the Atalanta winger, who somehow got away without a yellow card.
Modric on for Real Madrid
That shot a minute or two ago was Rodrygo's last involvement. Modric takes his place.
Godfrey goes close for Atalanta!
That could easily have been 2-1! Mendy doesn't deal with a cross at the back post, allowing Godfrey to prod it goalwards. It sneaks past Courtois but Militão is well placed to hack it away.
Rodrygo shot saved!
Almost a third for Real Madrid! Bellingham is at the heart of it again, he's got the ball on his own little string at the moment. It eventually ends with a shot from Rodrygo, but his poke from a fairly tight angle is gathered by Musso.
Atalanta substitution
Bakker comes on for Kolasinac as Atalanta try to stem the flow of Madrid attacks and find a way back into the game.
Mbappé's first ever debut goal!
He didn't do it for Monaco. He didn't do it for PSG. He didn't do it for France. But he's done it for Real Madrid. A first ever goal on his debut for Kylian Mbappé!
Rodrygo robs Djimsiti and Real Madrid are away! The Brazilian feeds Vinícius, who tries and fails to find Mbappé, and it looks as if the chance has gone. But Bellingham keeps it alive and finds a perfect pass for the Frenchman, who races onto it and smashes past Musso for his first Real Madrid goal!
Bellingham shot saved!
Bellingham has been brilliant in this second half! A brilliant turn allows him to find space in the box and his low shot is kept out once again by Musso, who's been very busy in this second half.
Atalanta changes
Zappacosta and De Ketelaere go off, replaced by Godfrey and Retegui.
Atalanta's Djimsiti booked
With Atalanta under the cosh, Djimsiti has had enough. He flies right through Bellinghm out on the left and is booked for his troubles.
Bellingham shot almost loops in!
Madrid are piling on the pressure all of a sudden! A corner drops to Bellingham, whose shot is deflected way up in the air and almost drops into the net, Musso scampering across his goal to keep it out!
Vinícius denied by Musso!
Seconds later, Vinícius goes clean through and probably should score, although Musso makes a fine save to stop Madrid getting an immediately second!
Bellingham plays a simple ball left to Vinícius, who drives past Djimsiti and into the box. He gets to the goal line and picks out the run of Valverde, who can't miss from a couple of yards out!
Hien denies Mbappé!
A great pass from Bellingham sets Mbappé away, but Hien does brilliantly to stop the Frenchman from making space for a shot!
Lookman lets Real Madrid off the hook
What a chance for Lookman! He's got time and space in the Madrid box, but instead of shooting, he waits, allows Militão to get back and then can't find a way past the defender to get a shot away.
Bellingham shoots over!
The game has opened up suddenly, which should suit Real Madrid. Valverde runs onto a half clearance and looks set to smash it towards goal, but instead flicks it back to Bellingham, whose left-foot curler from the edge of the box is too high.
Bellingham and Mbappé will need a bit of time to strike up an understanding, but the Englishman is constantly looking for the French star. The former Dortmund midfielder tries to play the pass of the century to play his new teammate in behind but doesn't get enough on it, allowing Djimsiti to intercept.
Bellingham makes one of his darting runs in behind the Atalanta defence and into the box. He holds the ball up well and waits for support, but can't quite find a pass for either Vini or Mbappé.
Ruggeri shoots wide!
From the corner from that Pasilic chance, the ball falls on the edge of the box to Ruggeri, whose powerful low strike flies just past the post!
What a save from Courtois!
WHAT A SAVE! De Roon clips a cross into the box, Pasilic reckons he's headed Atalanta in front but is denied by a superb full-stretch stop from Courtois!
Mbappé shoots...high and wide!
Vintage Mbappé...until the finish! The attacker drifts out to the left, turns Djimsiti inside out, races into the box but slashes a left-foot strike high, wide and not very handsome.
Second half of UEFA Super Cup underway!
Real Madrid get the ball rolling in the second half!
Madrid and Atalanta back out for second half
Ready for some more? Surely we'll get a goal or maybe even two, right?
Real Madrid begin life without Kroos
All that chat has been about Kylian Mbappé, but how can we forget that Real Madrid are starting life without Toni Kroos. The German midfielder is trending in Spain, and a quick look at X suggests most people commenting believe Carlo Ancelotti's side are worse off without the German maestro. And how could they not be?
Real Madrid 0-0 Atalanta: halftime thoughts
All eyes were Mbappé, who made a fairly bright start, just like his team.Real Madrid did most of the pressing in the opening stages, without creating anything clear-cut, although a few dangerous crosses did cause panic in the Atalanta defence. The Italians, however, came back into the game after the opening 15 minutes, with Lookman and De Ketelaere looking lively in attack. A deflected De Roon effort clipped the bar and Ederson curled wide from the edge of the box as Gasperini’s men grew. However, they were ultimately lucky not to go in behind at the break as Rodrygo blasted off the crossbar seconds before the halftime whistle, passing up by far the best chance of the half.
Mbappé-watch on Real Madrid debut
We've seen a lovely flick-nutmeg in the Atalanta penalty box, and a delightful double stepover to make space in midfield, neither of which led to anything. Kylian Mbappé did have one sight of goal, but his shot from Valverde's low cross was blocked at close range by Hien. Other than that, we've seen some tidy enough link-up play, although Atalanta have managed to keep the new Madrid star fairly quiet so far.
Halftime: Real Madrid 0-0 Atalanta
Not much to separate the teams so far, although Rodrygo will feel he should've put Real Madrid ahead right at the end of the half! Some nice touches from Kylian Mbappé, who has found himself in some decent positions but hasn't got any shots in on goal.
Vini tries to slide another ball through to Mbappé this time, but his attempted nutmeg pass just clips an Atalanta foot and skips past the Frenchman.
Two minutes of injury time to be played.
Rodrygo hits the bar!
That's BY FAR the best chance of the half! Vini feeds a pass through between defenders, Bellingham is offside but leaves it for Rodrygo, who smashes it off the top of the bar when he should've scored!
Lookman shot blocked!
That looked like danger for Real Madrid! A loose ball dropped in the box to Lookman, who took a touch and fired in a shot, which was deflected away for a corner!
Vinícius yellow card
Not only that, Vinícius Júnior gets a yellow card for trodding on De Roon's foot after overrunning the ball. And in true Vinícius Júnior fashion, he has a right go at the Atalanta captain...
A promising bit of build-up play between Bellingham, Mbappé and Vinícius breaks down with the Brazilian uncharacteristically overrunning the ball.
A lucky break for Madrid, as referee Schärer blows up for a seemingly harsh foul just as De Ketalaere was about to lead an Atalanta breakaway.
Mbappé on the fringes
We've really not seen much of Mbappé so far, despite a few glimpses of her undoubted ability. Atalanta have kept him, and others, at bay fairly well.
Bellingham goes close...and gets booked!
Madrid threaten for the first time in a while! Vini chips a lovely pass into the box for the onrushing Bellingham, who can only get a light touch on it with his chest as it runs through to Musso. The Englishman lunges to try to get it but catches the goalkeeper as he smothers the ball.A yellow card for the Madrid man, which was a tad unfortunate.
Mendy makes crucial interception!
Another mistake from Tchouaméni and Lookman is almost away! The ball doesn't quite have enough pace on it, though, and Mendy is able to get back goalside and stop the winger.
I'm going to start it's been a fairly even opening 30 minutes. Madrid started on top, but Atalanta have come right back into it.
Thien thwarts Mbappé!
Thien does brilliantly to read a pass through to Mbappé in the channel, just the kind he likes to run onto. The Atalanta defender comes across and beats the Frenchman to the ball when it looked as if he might get clear.
Ederson shoots wide!
Tchouaméni panics, needlessly clearing the ball when it was about to run through to Courtois. It goes as far as Ederson, whose curler drifts a yard or two wide of goal!
Mbappé stepovers
Mbappé has just shown another glimpse of his ability, skipping away from Hien with a double stepover. But he gets his pocket picked in the Atalanta half seconds later.
Atalanta hit the bar!
Atalanta have come into this more in the last few moments! De Roon fires the ball across goal and it looks to take a nick off Militão before clipping the crossbar on its way to safety.
Djimsiti shoots wide
Djimsiti strides forward from the back and collects a pass from De Ketelaere 30 yards out. The defender sees his name in lights but probably wishes he hadn't as his shot trickles well wide.
Real Madrid tactical change
Carlo Ancelotti has moved Rodrygo from the right to the left, with Vini and Mbappé playing almost as a front two. Valverde has moved over to the right for now, with Bellingham alongside Tchouaméni in central midfield.
Vinícius inches away from 1-0!
The was almost the opener! Carvajal whips in a brilliant cross from the right, which Vini is inches, maybe centimetres, away from getting a toe to!
Mbappé almost in again!
Almost another sight of goal for Mbappé! Bellingham does the leg work this time, racing away down the left. He's got the France captain in a good position in the middle but plays the ball just too far behind him.
Mbappé shot blocked!
I was just about to say that I didn't think Mbappé had touched the ball in about 10 minutes, then he came to life! Valverde blasts down the right and cuts the ball back for the Frenchman, who looks all set to fire in his first Real Madrid goal, only to be denied by a brilliant block!
Lookman drifts out to the left flank and fires in a low cross, but it's gobbled up by Courtois. Easy stuff for the Madrid stopper.
Zappocosta coming back on
Zappcosta's not back on yet, but he will be, wearing a fetching headband. It looks as if the Atalanta man cut himself rather than taking any kind of serious blow, which is probably for the best.
Zappacosta down
We're going to have a little break here, I think. Zappacosta looks to have taken a blow to the head after slipping over. The Atalanta medical staff are on to take a look at him,
Atalanta's Ederson booked
The first yellow card of the game is an early one! Ederson hauls back Valverde in midfield and gets booked (which seems a touch harsh).
Kylian Mbappé's first Real Madrid lineup
Some thought this day would never come, others believed it was inevitable. Here's Mbappé in the famous white jersey for the very first time.
Atalanta first to threaten
De Ketalaere plays a lovely ball inside Valverde for Zappacosta, who gets to the goal line but takes far too long to decide what to do, with Lookman penalised for a push in the box as he was waiting for a cross.
Mbappé nutmeg in Atalanta box
Kylian Mbappé has arrived! He picks up possession inside the Atalanta box and pulls off an exquisite flick to nutmeg De Roon and keep possession. It led to nothing, but it looked great!
A low pass comes into Mbappé feet and Hien gets really tight, not letting him turn. Too tight, in fact. Free kick.
As we imagined, Mbappé's starting position is in the middle of the Real Madrid attack. Didn't he complain about playing in that position while at PSG...?
Atalanta kicked off, although possession is very much Real Madrid's now. Mbappé gets involved for the first time, controlling a pass in field and playing a simple ball out to Rodrygo on the right.
Real Madrid - Atalanta underway in Warsaw!
Here we go! The Kylian Mbappé era has begun for Real Madrid!
Real Madrid and Atalanta: contrasting Super Cup records
Remember, Real Madrid and Atalanta's Super Cup records couldn't be different. Nobody has won the trophy more times (five) than Real Madrid, who are tied with Barcelona and AC Milan. Atalanta are making their first appearance.
Real Madrid and Atalanta take to the field!
The teams are out! Kylian Mbappé stands at the end of the line next to Eder Militão as the pre-match formalities get underway.
Atalanta team to play Real Madrid
Plenty of injury and selection issues for Gasperini to contend with, with Scamacca, Scalvini and Zaniolo all sidelined, and Koopmeiners in the bad books after trying to force a move.
Musso; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; Pasilic; De Ketelaere, Lookman.
Real Madrid team to play Atalanta: Mbappé starts
Kylian Mbappé starts! We reckon he'll mainly be the central attacker, although there should be plenty of fluidity up front for Real Madrid. What will Jude Bellingham's role be? We'll find out very soon!
Courtois; Carvajal, Militão, Rüdiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappé, Vinícius.
Right, kickoff is just a few minutes away! Let's have another quick look at how the two teams will line up.
How many goals has Kylian Mbappé scored in his career?
Since making his first-team debut for Monaco as a 16-year-old, Kylian Mbappé has scored 287 goals in 380 club appearances, along with 48 in 84 caps for France. His first goal for Real Madrid will be his 288th at club level, and his 336th overall. Will it come on his debut against Atalanta? I'm not putting it past him...
Courtois starts in goal for Real Madrid
Most of 2023/24 was a nightmare for Thibaut Courtois, who ruptured his ACL in August, then tore his meniscus just as he was about to make his return to the team in March. However, the season ended on a high for the Belgian, who was back in the starting lineup by the time the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund came around. There's no doubting he will be Real Madrid's first pick in goal, despite deputy Andriy Lunin performing well last term.
With Kylian Mbappé having been added to their roster, most people will be banking on Real Madrid to win this one. Especially considering Atalanta are missing some important players. But what happens if the Italians prove to be a match for their Spanish opponents? Since the move to a one-off tie, the match has finished all square 11 times, which is a lot. However, there has been a recent changes in the rules, which Will is handily here to explain.
Why is the UEFA Super Cup being played in Warsaw, Poland?
Between 1973 and 1997, the Super Cup was a two-legged affair, with each of the teams involved playing one match at home. In 1998, UEFA decided to switch to a single-game format, which was played at Stade Louis II in Monaco up until 2012. That stadium had a capacity of less than 20,000, which was perhaps an indicator of the standing of the fixture in the grand scheme of elite-level European soccer. Since 2013, the Super Cup has moved around but has stayed well clear of the biggest and best-known stadiums, with matches played in Prague (Czechia), Cardiff (Wales), Tbilisi (Georgia), Trondheim (Norway), Skopje (Macedonia), Tallinn (Estonia), Istanbul (Türkiye), Budapest (Hungary), Belfast (Northern Ireland), Helsinki (Finland), Athens (Greece) and now Warsaw. Venues that, with one or two exceptions, might not normally play host to the likes of Real Madrid. UEFA has explained its decision to stay away from the likes of Wembley, the Santiago Bernabéu and Spotify Camp Nou in the past.
Who is Sandro Schärer? Real Madrid - Atalanta UEFA Super Cup referee
Switzerland’s Sandro Schärer takes charge of the 2024 UEFA Super Cup, as Real Madrid face off against Atalanta in Warsaw. The 36-year-old has crossed paths with Madrid only once before, overseeing Los Blancos’ 3-0 Champions League win over Celtic in September 2022 - a game in which he was scarcely called into significant action. Schärer issued just two bookings, one to each side. The referee has coincided with Atalanta twice: in the Italians’ 2-1 win over Olympiacos in the Europa League in February 2022, and in their 2-1 Champions League victory over Sporting CP in March this year. He averaged just 2.5 bookings across those two fixtures. Ben and Will have teamed up to take a close look at the Swiss whistler’s career.
Has Mbappé ever scored on his debut?
As I may have mentioned already, Kylian Mbappé is going to make his Real Madrid debut from the start against Atalanta! Los Blancos will be the third team the 25-year-old has played for in his professional career, and he’ll be looking to do something he has never done so far - score on his debut. He played no more than two minutes as a substitute on his first appearance for Monaco in 2015, and helped both Paris Saint-Germain and France to victories on his debut for them, but didn’t find the net. Here’s more about those games, and when he did eventually get off the mark for his previous clubs and national team.
How does the new Champions League work?
The UEFA Champions League moves into a new era in 2024/25, with the format we’ve known and loved since 2003 no more. Following the qualifying rounds, the 32-team group phase will be replaced by a 36-team league phase for the first time.
Instead of teams being drawn into eight groups of four and playing six group games, they will instead take part in eight matches and go into one giant table (that’s going to be a lot of scrolling on your results app of choice), with goal difference the first tie-breaker for teams finishing level on points.
The competition will deploy the ‘Swiss model’, commonly used in chess tournaments, which means not every team in the ‘league’ will play each other.
The 36 clubs will be divided into four pots of nine, which will be based on UEFA’s five-year club coefficient (basically how each club has performed in European competition in the last five years).
Each team will be drawn to face two clubs from each pot, including their own, which should ensure their eight group-stage matches are of similar difficulty on the whole. As has been the case up until now, two teams from the same country cannot be drawn against other.
Real Madrid and Atalanta could meet again in 2024/25 Champions League
Real Madrid and Atalanta have only ever met twice, with the Spaniards winning both legs of their Champions League round of 16 tie in 2020/21. But they could well face each other once again in this year’s competition, as they will be in different pots when the draw takes place on August 29. The new UCL league phase gets going on September 17 (more on that coming right up). 29 of the 36 qualifiers are already known, and here they are in all their glory:
Pot 1
Real Madrid (Spain)
Manchester City (England)
Bayern Munich (Germany)
PSG (France)
Liverpool (England)
Inter Milan (Italy)
Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
RB Leipzig (Germany)
Barcelona (Spain)
Pot 2
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
Atlético Madrid (Spain)
Atalanta (Italy)
Juventus (Italy)
Benfica (Portugal)
Arsenal (England)
Club Brugge (Belgium)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
Pot 2 or 3
AC Milan (Italy)
Pot 3
Feyenoord (Netherlands)
Sporting CP (Portugal)
PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
Pot 3 or 4
Celtic (Scotland)
Pot 4
Monaco (France)
Aston Villa (England)
Bolgona (Italy)
Girona (Spain)
Stuttgart (Germany)
Sturm Graz (Austria)
Brest (France)
Real Madrid's UEFA Super Cup record
Real Madrid might be (joint) top of the tree when it comes to the UEFA Super Cup, but it wasn’t always that way. In fact, they’d never won the trophy until 2002, and have added another four victories since 2014. In 2002, the defeated Feyenoord in Monaco, before two wins over fellow Spanish club Sevilla in 2014 (Cardiff, Wales) and 2016 (Trondheim, Norway). The following year, they beat Manchester United in Skopje, Macedonia, with their most recent triumph coming in 2022, when they saw off Eintracht Frankfurt in Helsinki, Finland. Los Blancos have also lost three finals - to Chelsea in 1998, Galatssaray in 2000 and Atlético Madrid in 2018.
Atalanta, meanwhile, are making their first appearance in the fixture.
Atalanta team to play Real Madrid: injuries hamper Gasperini
The Italians have made us wait, but will it be worth waiting for? Of the players we looked at a little earlier, Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere start, with key figures (and potential key figures) Scamacca, Zaniolo and defender Giorgio Scalvini all absent due to injury. To make matters worse, Teun Koopmeiners isn't even in the squad as he tries to force a move to Juventus.
Musso; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; Pasilic; De Ketelaere, Lookman.
UEFA Super Cup: history and record winners
The UEFA Super Cup has been on the go since 1972 and was originally a two-legged tie between the European Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup winners. That changed in 1998, when it became a one-legged match played at Stade Louis II in Monaco, and again in 2000, after the Cup Winners’ Cup was disbanded. The UEFA Cup (now Europa League) winners were instead bumped up to the Super Cup, which left its home in Monaco in 2013, since when the game has been played all around Europe, mainly in countries, cities and stadiums which haven’t had the chance to host the Champions League final (with an exception or two). Real Madrid, Barcelona and AC Milan are the most successful teams in UEFA Super Cup history with five victories, followed by Liverpool on three.
Atalanta dressing room pre-Real Madrid
I couldn't possibly show you the Real Madrid dressing room without also sharing a clip of the Atlanta 'spogliatoio', could I? That would be terribly biased of me. Nicely done by UEFA (presumably) with a snap from their Europa League win over Bayer Leverkusen splashed all over the wall. The Italians played with absolutely no fear in that game, which most thought they were underdogs in. It definitely didn't work out that way. They'll be using that as inspiration to take on the mighty Real Madrid.
If you’re still on the hunt for a way to watch today’s game, then fear not, we’ve got you covered! If you’re in the United States, there is indeed a way and here’s our Fidel with all the details.
You can also watch a Real Madrid vs Atalanta live stream on fuboTV
Atalanta: players to watch
Atalanta have pretty much managed to keep together the squad that did so well last season, finishing fourth in Serie A and winning the Europa League. That means Real Madrid will have to keep their eyes firmly focused on Ademola Lookman, who scored a hat-trick in the European final against Leverkusen and striker Gianluca Scamacca, a handful on his day. The have also added talented Belgian attacking midfielder Charles De Ketelaere on a permanent deal after he impressed during a loan spell last season, as well as agreeing a temporary move for former Roma schemer Nicolò Zaniolo, who many regard as one of the most skilful attacking Italians around. Premier League fans will also recognise former Everton defender Ben Godfrey, who moved to Bergamo this summer.
Atalanta's historic 2023/24 season
And, of course, that trophy arrived last season in the shape of the Europa League. After finishing 5th the year before, Atlanta qualified directly for the group stage, where they finished top of section containing Sporting CP of Portugal, Austria’s Sturm Graz and Polish team Raków Częstochowa. Their run to the final consisted of wins over Sporting (again), Liverpool and Marseille, with the highlight a 3-0 victory at Anfield. They convincingly won the final in Dublin by the scoreline against Bayer Leverkusen, the only defeat the German champions suffered all season. Domestically, they finished in 4th place in Serie A, which would also have seen them clinch Champions League place even if they hadn't won the Europa League, while they lost to Juventus in the final of the Coppa Italia.
Atalanta establish themselves as European force
It's not all about Real Madrid, though. Oh no. Atalanta have done incredibly well to establish themselves as one of Italy’s top teams in recent years and are enjoying by far the most successful period in the club’s history. The Bergamo side had rarely finished in the top half of Serie A up until current coach Gian Piero Gasperini took charge of the club in 2016. Since then, he has overseen eight consecutive top-8 finishes, which includes three 3rd-place finishes in a row between 2018 and 2021. In 2017, they played in European competition for the first time since 1991. All that was missing was a trophy…
Inside the Real Madrid dressing room: Mbappé wears 9
A professional soccer game couldn't possibly take place without the teams giving us a glimpse inside their dressing room. First up, Real Madrid, who have confirmed that Kylian Mbappé will be wearing the no. 9 jersey, previously donned by compatriot Karim Benzema. Despite Eduardo Camavinga's absence, they've also been good enough to lay out his shirt, just to make his feel a part of things. Nice touch.
Carl Recine (Getty)
Real Madrid's Champions League - LaLiga double in 2023/24
2023/24 was a memorable season for Real Madrid, as so many have been in recent years. Is it even big news when they win the Champions League these days? Before the start of the 2013/14 season, the LaLiga giants had been crowned European champions nine times. They’ve now won it six times in 11 seasons, including twice in the last three. That’s why they’re here, after all. Los Blancos have also (kind of) reestablished themselves as the dominant force in LaLiga. I say ‘kind of’ because Barcelona won it just 12 months earlier, but Carlo Ancelotti’s side have won three of the last five titles, which, incredibly enough is their best run since the late 1980s. They finished 10 points behind Barça in 2022/23, the same gap they ended up with at the top last year.
Why isn't Eduardo Camavinga playing against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup?
You may have noticed that there's no sign of Eduardo Camavinga, either in the starting lineup or on the bench. The Frenchman is one of the players who only just started training last week, although that's got nothing to do with his absence today. The midfielder travelled with the squad to Poland and was due to be available, only to be trampled on by compatriot Aurélien Tchouaméni in a training session last night. There were fears of a serious knee injury and it has since been confirmed that he will be out of action for six to seven weeks. Ben and Joe have teamed up with more details.
Real Madrid's attacking firepower: Mbappé, Vini, Bellingham...
The signings of Mbappé and Endrick mean Real Madrid have added to the already significant firepower they had in their ranks last season. In 2023/24, Vinícius Júnior was Los Blancos’ top goalscorer with 24 goals in all competitions (15 in LaLiga), just ahead of Jude Bellingham, who netted 23 times (19 in the league). Rodrygo didn’t quite match his tally of 19 from the previous campaign, but managed 17 in total (10 in LaLiga). To those 66 goals we can add 44 from Mbappé, which means Madrid’s four first-choice attacking players scored 110 times between them last season. Of course, many would argue the Frenchman was playing in a weaker league, although he was also the joint top goalscorer in the Champions League (alongside Harry Kane on eight goals).
Real Madrid's ins and outs: Kroos, Nacho, Mbappé, Endrick...
Two of the most decorated players in the history of the Champions League, Toni Kroos and Nacho, left Real Madrid at the end of the season. The German opted to retire at the age of 34 and is now running coaching schools in the Spanish capital and in his homeland. The former club captain, meanwhile, left on a free transfer for newly-promoted Saudi Pro League team Al-Qadsiash (I wonder why…). Joselu and Kepa also departed at the end of their loan spells. Joining Mbappé in coming the other way is Brazilian youngster Endrick, another forward. Los Blancos signed the former Palmeiras forward in December 2022 but had to wait until this summer to take him to Spain, as he only turned 18 a few weeks ago. He will wear the number 16 jersey, which suggests he should be part of the first-team squad straight away. Endrick is on the bench against Atalanta in Warsaw.
Kylian Mbappé starts! Real Madrid team to play Atalanta
On this occasion, Carlo Ancelotti has decided to start all of his attacking big guns!Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo are all in the lineup from the off against Atalanta. Mendy, Tchouaméni, Valverde and Carvajal all also start despite their summer exertions, with the latter captaining the team. Thibaut Courtois, who missed most of last season through injury, starts the campaign between the sticks.
Courtois; Carvajal, Militão, Rüdiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappé, Vinícius.
Real Madrid stars still building up match fitness
It’s worth remembering that the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé only started preseason training last week having reached the final and semifinal of Euro 2024 respectively. The same goes for Eduardo Camavinga (more on him soon), Ferland Mendy and Aurélien Tchouaméni, while Fede Valverde is also in the same boat after Uruguay got to the 2024 Copa América semis. When Mbappé was officially unveiled by Real Madrid (July 16) only a handful of first-team players had started the club’s official preseason, including the likes of Lucas Vázquez and Brahim Díaz, who didn’t play in international tournaments over the summer. Will that have an impact on Carlo Ancelotti's team selection?
How Real Madrid missed out on 12 years of Mbappé
Kylian Mbappé’s move to Real Madrid has been a long time coming, although it’s actually considerably longer than some people might imagine. Heard the story about the summer of 2012, when a 13-year-old Mbappé pitched up for trials at Valdebebas, on the recommendation of club legend Zinedine Zidane? A “skinny” but “out of the ordinary” impressed during his week training with Los Blancos, who didn’t end up signing him despite that. In a mini documentary put together by DAZN, a number of people who were there that week, including Zizou’s son Luca Zidane, tell the story of why the upcoming French star didn’t put pen to paper to join the academy.
Will Kylian Mbappé start for Real Madrid?
Can you guess who pretty much all of the pre-game talk has centred around? No, not Jesús Vallejo (he’s still a Real Madrid player, believe it or not), but Kylian Mbappé. The longest transfer saga in living memory (maybe ever?) is thankfully over and now we can get on with watching the Frenchman strut his stuff in the famous white jersey (he'll be wearing the no. 9).Where, though, will he fit into a Real Madrid team that already contains Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo in attack, with Jude Bellingham supporting from midfield? Will one of them have to be left out, or will all four of them play from the start? Whatever combination of players Carlo Ancelotti opts to go with, that’s quite a mouthwatering attacking lineup, isn’t it? We'll find out very soon!
Real Madrid - Atalanta: what time is kickoff in the UEFA Super Cup?
Real Madrid and Atalanta go head to head for the first European trophy of the season at the National Stadium in Warsaw, with kickoff at 3pm ET / 12pm PT. I’m Roddy and thanks for joining me for live text coverage of the 2024 UEFA Super Cup, which will be forever known as Kylian Mbappé’s debut for the club he was rumoured to be joining a million years ago.
Hello and welcome to Real Madrid - Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup!
The Kylian Mbappé era is about to begin for Real Madrid as the build-up to the European soccer season properly getting underway continues to fly along. We’ve already had the Community Shield in England, while Champions League qualifying is nearing its conclusion, with only one round to go. Today’s UEFA Super Cup is the last stop before LaLiga gets going on Thursday (August 15), followed by the Premier League on Friday (August 16).Atalanta of Italy's Serie A were the first of the two teams to qualify after winning last season’s Europa League, impressively dispatching German champions Bayer Leverkusen in the final. They were then joined by Real Madrid, who won the Champions League (again) by defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley in London.