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Frenchman ushers in new era with a goal and a trophy as Spanish champions swipe aside Atalanta to claim Super Cup
The new Real Madrid jersey was always destined to be a perfect fit for Kylian Mbappe, who had dreamt of this move for so long that it was easy to forget he had yet to make his debut. Ninety minutes later, an easy-on-the-eye goal, and the megastar among superstars has his feet under the table.
For a little over half of this match, it had looked like it might not be so easy for the new No 9, finding his feet as a new central spearhead.
Yet Carlo Ancelotti knows better than anyone how to carefully hone his teams with minimal fuss. After an underwhelming first half, a fraction more freedom for Mbappe in the second half unleashed an attacking potency that will frighten all-comers in Europe this season. On the evidence of this Super Cup win, described by the Spanish press as “KM 0” to mark the dawn of a new era, Ancelotti’s embarrassment of riches can run riot.
All the speculation ahead of this match was about who would be dropped. Rodrygo, so crucial in Real’s Champions League triumph last season, appeared the most likely fall guy. But, in a bold line-up from the Italian manager, he was squeezed in alongside Jude Bellingham, sitting slightly deeper, with Vinicius Junior.
The working plan for the first half, at least, was for Mbappe to assume a more restricted No 9 role than he has assumed at PSG and France. Real initially looked ordinary — aside from a Rodrygo effort that grazed the bar — with spaces behind them in midfield. Substitutions would have been the obvious answer, but Ancelotti instead adopted a light-touch approach to maximum effect.
The second half, as a result, proved more purposeful. Mbappe occasionally switched with Vinicius, and looked more menacing for it. Wide on the left, he immediately went on the offence, jinking past defenders in trademark fashion, but then flashing an effort over the bar.
But it was Bellingham and Vinicius, the star men of last year, who turned it on to get the Spaniards up and running. After 59 minutes, the Brazilian twisted in from the left to put it on a plate for the ever-reliable Federico Valverde. Real’s second was just as carefully worked, with Mbappe slotting home right-footed from Bellingham’s pass.
The best team in Europe have laid down a marker and Bellingham is already singing his new colleague’s praises. “He’s just one of those players, isn’t he?” Bellingham said of Mbappe. “He is brilliant – he is so sharp, has so much technical quality and he is a great team-mate as well.
“We have a new-look team and it seemed to just click tonight. Sometimes it takes a bit of time, the first half we were still adjusting, and the second half it all came together and we were brilliant.”
Real Madrid (4-3-3): Courtois 7; Mendy 7, Rüdiger 7, Militao 6, Carvajal 7 (Vazquez 89); Bellingham 9 (Ceballos 89), Tchouaméni 7, Valverde 7; Vinicius Junior 7 (Güler 88), Mbappé 7 (Brahim Díaz, 83), Rodrygo 7 (Modric 76)Substitutes not used: Camavinga, García, González, Lunin, Endrick, Ramón, Vallejo.Booked: Bellingham, Vinicius Junior.Goals: Valverde (59), Mbappé (68).
Atalanta (3-4-1-2): Musso 7; Kolasinac 7 (Bakker 71), Hien 7 (Palestra 90), Djimsiti 8; Ruggeri 6, Ederson 6, De Roon 6, Zappacosta 6 (Godfrey 63), Pasalic 6 (Manzoni 90); Lookman 6, De Ketelaere 6 (Retegui 63).Substitutes not used: Carnesecchi, Cassa, Comi, Rossi, Sulemana, Tornaghi, Vavassori.Booked: Djimsiti, Ederson.Referee: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)
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