Match player ratings are as follows:
Thibaut Courtois—7: Courtois had a significant impact on possession with 55 touches, more than Mbappe’s 44, due to Atalanta’s aggressive pressing strategy. While he provided Madrid with an extra option on the ball, some of his long passes were inaccurate. He made a spectacular save from a Pasalic header at the beginning of the second half.
Dani Carvajal—7.5: In his return to the lineup, Carvajal demonstrated strong form by often making central runs and positioning himself effectively for build-up plays. He executed several tactical fouls to thwart Atalanta’s counterattack efforts.
Eder Militao—7: Militao delivered some excellent challenges, particularly with timely interventions that disrupted Atalanta’s advance.
Toni Rudiger—7: Rudiger made a crucial recovery late in the first half, successfully denying Lookman a one-on-one opportunity against Courtois.
Ferland Mendy—7: Mendy faced challenges from Zappacosta and Charles De Ketelaere due to their pace and movement off the ball. He defended well at the back post and actively retrieved possession on the wing.
Tchouameni—6: Tchouameni struggled in the first half, often leaving his pivot position to press and expend energy unnecessarily. He improved significantly in the second half by staying closer to the back four and maintaining his position.
Fede Valverde—7: Valverde had both positive and negative moments—he excelled in duels high up the pitch that led to scoring opportunities, yet faced difficulties with his passing from deeper positions. He found himself in advantageous positions in the box and scored the opening goal.
Jude Bellingham—9: Bellingham produced a remarkable performance, showcasing his ability to maneuver out of pressure and find space. Despite covering a lot of ground, he created several goal-scoring opportunities and provided an assist with a perfectly executed pass to Mbappe.
Vinicius Junior—7: While Vinicius struggled to find his rhythm and often forced passes, he managed to create an impactful moment by assisting Fede Valverde for the season’s first goal, demonstrating his decisive nature.
Rodrygo—6.5: Rodrygo primarily played on the right but was flexible in interchanging positions. He came close to scoring in the first half, hitting the crossbar with an off-balance shot, and contributed to the second goal by putting pressure on an opponent and setting up Vinicius.
Kylian Mbappe—6: Although he showed flashes of brilliance, Mbappe spent much of the first half with his back to goal. He regained influence early in the second half, creating scoring chances and received a simple goal thanks to Bellingham’s setup.
Substitutions:
Brahim Diaz—7: Diaz excelled at finding space in between the lines and executed effective turns.
Luka Modric—7: Modric delivered precise passes and added quality to the team’s play.
Arda Guler / Dani Ceballos / Lucas Vazquez—N/A: These players were substituted in the 89th minute to help secure the victory.