Atalanta hosts a duel with the reigning Champions League winners from Real Madrid. The Italians are one of only three undefeated teams after the first five matchdays, whereas Real Madrid has lost three of their five games and is teetering on the edge of a European exit. Here we bring you odds, streaming options, previews, and betting tips for Atalanta vs. Real Madrid. The match kicks off on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 23:00.
Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid are on the brink of a very early and very surprising exit from the Champions League.
Referee: Szymon Marciniak, Poland
Stadium: Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia, Bergamo, Italy
Weather: 2°C and no wind
Preview
Atalanta is, as the Danish TV show “Nissebanden” would put it: A delight for the eyes, a tickle for the ears, a tingle in the nose, and a shiver down the spine. In short, it’s a pure pleasure to follow coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s team.
They top Serie A after 15 rounds and have won their last nine games across all competitions. Last Friday, they beat Milan 2-1 with a late winner from Lookman.
Most people probably Ademola Lookman best for his magnificent hat-trick in last season’s 3-0 victory in the Europa League final against Leverkusen.
Real Madrid dominated last season’s Champions League, and therefore they played the European Super Cup against Atalanta in August. It took place in Warsaw, Poland, and Valverde and Mbappé secured a 2-0 win for Los Blancos.
The Frenchman hasn’t quite had the start to his adventure in the Spanish capital that many expected, but he has still scored 11 goals.
Over the weekend, Real Madrid won 3-0 away against Girona, and they are currently second in La Liga, trailing eternal rivals Barcelona by just two points with a game in hand.
Betting Tip: Challenger Atalanta Knocks Out the Aging Champion
It’s last season’s Europa League winner versus the Champions League winner.
Atalanta is relatively new to the biggest European stage, while the record CL winners Real Madrid have built, renovated, and maintained this stage for many, many years.
The Spaniards have received a boost for this match with the return of Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Vinicius Junior. Together with Mbappé, these three form a threatening offensive quartet.
So far, Atalanta has faced top-tier opposition in Arsenal in the CL. Their other four matches have been against Young Boys, Stuttgart, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Celtic.
So how will they react when the competition really gets tough?
They haven’t budged an inch in Serie A, where they have beaten Napoli and Roma away and Milan at home in Bergamo last Friday.
It almost feels like a bungee jump to go against Real Madrid with their gigantic trophy cabinet and star-studded offensive lineup, but there is so much flair, flow, and harmony around Atalanta at the moment that it’s hard to bet against them.
So, is a draw the most likely outcome? Atalanta has played 21 games this season, and only three of them have ended without a winner. Real Madrid has the same number of draws in their 22 games so far.
A draw doesn’t seem likely, so our prediction is that Atalanta will push Real Madrid to the brink of knockout and Champions League exit with an Italian home victory.