…Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup for a record sixth time by beating Atalanta in Warsaw
Goals from Federico Valverde and debutant Kylian Mbappé helped Real Madrid claim a record-breaking sixth UEFA Super Cup by beating Atalanta at the National Stadium in Warsaw – as Carlo Ancelotti became the first coach to win five editions of the competition.
Real Madrid’s attack-minded starting XI – featuring Mbappé making his first appearance following his summer move – confidently kept possession in the opening minutes as Atalanta chased. However, Gian Piero Gasperini’s team soon began to make ground with Davide Zappacosta’s dangerous diagonal run serving as a warning to the Champions League winners.
Isak Hien threw his body on the line to crucially block Mbappé’s first opportunity, before Valverde’s searching delivery skimmed narrowly beyond Vinícius Júnior’s outstretched leg as Los Blancos engineered a string of chances.
But Atalanta were slowly edging forward, and Éder Militão had to divert Marten De Roon’s cross-shot onto the woodwork. Ademola Lookman’s darting run from the halfway line was then cut off by last man Antonio Rüdiger, before Jude Bellingham went close seconds later.
In the last action of an intriguing first half, Vinícius Júnior picked out Rodrygo in ample space inside the penalty area, but the Brazilian’s off-balance drive crashed against the crossbar.
Mbappé burst forward but fired wide as Real Madrid returned to the pitch with a heightened sense of urgency. However, almost immediately, Thibaut Courtois needed to fly to his left and parry Mario Pašalić’s excellent header.
In the 59th minute, Carlo Ancelotti’s side finally broke the deadlock as Bellingham’s through ball found Vinícius Júnior, whose outside-of-the-boot delivery across the face of goal was on a plate for Valverde to turn in.
Nine minutes later, Mbappé latched onto to Bellingham’s precise pass to double Madrid’s lead, arrowing in his first goal for his new club.
The 2024 Champions League winners held firm as Atalanta persevered to win their first piece of silverware of the season.
UEFA
