Luis Garcia shared his admiration for Real Madrid’s performance in their Super Cup match against Atalanta, where France striker Kylian Mbappé made a remarkable debut. Real Madrid triumphed with a 2-0 victory, securing the European Super Cup on Wednesday.
Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde opened the scoring for the European champions in the 59th minute, finishing from close range, and Mbappé doubled their lead just nine minutes later with a stunning shot into the top corner following an assist from Jude Bellingham.
This victory marks Madrid’s sixth Super Cup title, surpassing Barcelona and AC Milan, both of whom have five wins in this prestigious clash between the Champions League and Europa League champions.
Mbappé, who transferred to Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in June, nearly scored in the 15th minute, but his attempt was thwarted by the Atalanta defense.
Atalanta, making their Super Cup debut after clinching the Europa League, played fearlessly against the more established Madrid side. Following an initial phase of pressure from their opponents, Gian Piero Gasperini’s team gained confidence, with Marten de Roon’s deflected shot hitting the bar.
The Italian club continued creating opportunities, with Éderson’s long-range effort narrowly missing the target and Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois making an important save against Ademola Lookman’s attempt.
In a pivotal moment towards the end of the first half, Rodrygo squandered a prime chance, hitting the bar with a low pass from Vinicius Junior. Atalanta pressed on, with Mario Pasalic forcing Courtois into a brilliant fingertip save.
Real Madrid eventually took the lead when Valverde capitalized on a precise pass from Vinícius. The Spanish side could have increased their advantage with a strong counter-attack, but Bellingham missed two opportunities before assisting Mbappé’s second goal, where the Frenchman delivered a clean finish.
The 25-year-old, having won seven Ligue 1 titles with PSG and Monaco but lacking a previous win in European club competitions, was substituted seven minutes before the match concluded.