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Kylian Mbappe netted his 50th Champions League goal as Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham also found the back of the net, helping Real Madrid to a crucial victory over Atalanta.
The team has had a challenging European campaign, having lost three of their five matches prior to Tuesday’s encounter in Italy.
In need of a win to bolster their chances of advancing to the knockout stages, Real Madrid delivered a performance that will boost their confidence.
Mbappe opened the scoring in the 10th minute, outpacing his defender and finishing with precision. This marked his 12th goal since joining Real Madrid in the summer. He had another opportunity to score later in the first half, but his effort from outside the box was saved.
However, Real faced a setback nine minutes before half-time when Mbappe appeared to sustain an injury. Though he managed to walk off the pitch, he was substituted by Rodrygo. Atalanta equalised just before the break when Charles De Ketelaere converted a penalty after Sead Kolasinac was fouled in the box.
In the second half, Real Madrid responded with Vinicius Jr scoring a well-placed goal on his return from a hamstring injury, followed by Bellingham netting his first Champions League goal of the season.
Ademola Lookman gave Atalanta a glimmer of hope with his 11th goal of the season, but Real Madrid held firm to secure three vital points.
This victory moved Real Madrid up to 18th in the 36-team league, just three points shy of the top eight, which guarantees automatic qualification for the knockout stages. Atalanta, on the other hand, sit in ninth place with 11 points.
Since joining Real Madrid in the summer, Mbappe has struggled to replicate the form he showed at Paris St-Germain. However, he looked determined from the start in this match. With 50 goals in 79 Champions League appearances, he became the second-youngest player to reach this milestone, following Lionel Messi, who achieved it in 2012.
Frances Ibiefo
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