Ancelotti Describes Real Madrid's Victory Over Atalanta as a 'Revitalizing Moment'
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Bergamo, Dec 11 (NationPress) Real Madrid secured a thrilling 3-2 victory against Atalanta, achieving their third win in the Champions League. After suffering defeats in their previous two matches within the competition, Ancelotti stated that this win was a revitalizing moment.
The match was exhilarating, featuring five goals and intense back-and-forth action, but Madrid ultimately triumphed in this crucial encounter. The visitors faced a team that had gone unbeaten in their last 14 matches, which had propelled them to the top of the Serie A standings.
"This victory is a revitalizing moment because it allows us to adequately prepare for the Champions League games in January. I hope we have more players available and feel more at ease today than we did yesterday," Ancelotti expressed during the post-match press conference.
Mbappe, who exited the field with a minor injury before halftime, opened the scoring with a magnificent goal; however, De Ketelaere equalized from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time. In the second half, Vini Jr. and Jude Bellingham increased the score to 1-3, yet Lookman brought the home team back into contention. Nevertheless, the Italians could not penetrate the Madrid defense again.
"Mbappe started off strongly, scoring a fantastic goal. Our attacking movement was crucial. Vinicius did a great job of pulling the center-back away from Kylian. The third goal was a result of a positional switch between Vinicius and Bellingham. Mbappe could not contribute further, and Rodrygo came on, but he wasn’t at full fitness. He gave his all. With a fully fit Mbappe, we might have performed even better," the head coach added.
With this victory, Real Madrid climbed to 18th place in the UCL standings, with only two matches remaining in the league stage. Madrid aims to win both games to secure a top-eight finish and gain direct entry into the knockout rounds.
"I’m not sure if 15 points will be enough for a top-8 finish, but our objective is to win the next two matches," Ancelotti concluded.
