Kylian Mbappé netted his 50th Champions League goal, while Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham also scored as Real Madrid clinched a crucial victory over Atalanta.
The Spanish giants have faced difficulties in Europe this season, having lost three of their first five matches before Tuesday’s game in Italy.
As a result, they needed a win to boost their chances of advancing to the knockout stages, which they achieved with a morale-boosting performance.
Kylian Mbappé got things started in the 10th minute, breaking free of his marker and finishing confidently. It was his 12th goal since joining Real Madrid in the summer, and he could have added another later in the first half when he surged through the middle, but his long-range shot was saved.
However, Real Madrid suffered a setback nine minutes before halftime when Mbappé seemed to pick up an injury. Although he was able to walk off the pitch, he was substituted for Rodrygo.
Atalanta equalized just before halftime when Charles De Ketelaere converted a penalty after Sead Kolasinac was fouled in the box.
After the break, Real Madrid responded strongly as Vinícius Júnior, returning from a hamstring injury, calmly finished into the bottom corner. Jude Bellingham then scored his first Champions League goal of the season to put Real ahead.
Atalanta remained in the hunt as Ademola Lookman scored his 11th goal of the season with a shot into the near post, but Real held firm under late pressure to secure a vital three points.
The victory lifted Real Madrid to 18th in the 36-team standings, just three points behind the top eight teams that qualify directly for the knockout rounds.
Atalanta sits in ninth place with 11 points.
A crucial win for Real Madrid, but concerns remain over Mbappé’s injury.
Mbappé has struggled to replicate the form he showed at Paris Saint-Germain since his summer move to Real Madrid, but he looked sharp from the start of this game.
His intelligent runs behind the Atalanta defense were causing problems, and his goal was a reminder of his immense talent.
With 50 goals in 79 Champions League appearances, he became the second-youngest player (25 years and 356 days) to reach this milestone, behind only Lionel Messi, who was 24 years and 284 days old when he achieved the same feat in 2012.
However, the injury he sustained during the match added concern, though Real fans will be reassured that he left the field without assistance.
The club will hope he doesn’t join an injury list that already includes Dani Carvajal, Eder Militão, and Eduardo Camavinga.
“Mbappé is feeling some discomfort in his hamstrings. It doesn’t seem serious, but we’ll know more on Wednesday,” said Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti. “He couldn’t sprint, it hurt him a bit, and we thought it was best to take him off.”
