Real Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup for a record sixth occasion as they overcame Italian side BC Atalanta with a 2-0 win in Warsaw, Poland.
It also poses an intriguing question for Real Madrid about the importance of FIFA’s upcoming Club World Cup tournament next summer.
Did Real Madrid even need Eduardo Camavinga?
Before making his Real Madrid debut, Kylian Mbappé had never before scored on his first appearance for any team.
Mbappé scored with his first shot on target, earlier firing one wide and having another attempt on goal blocked, to score his first Real Madrid goal.
Real Madrid defeated BC Atalanta, an Italian team, 2-0 in Warsaw, Poland, to win the UEFA Super Cup for a record sixth time. Despite both teams having opportunities to shoot wide in the first half, the victory was fiercely contested and hinged on a Fede Valverde tap-in to start the second half. Next came the moment that everyone had been waiting for—Kylian Mbappé’s debut goal, a powerful finish inside the box that made it 2-0, sealed the victory.
A trio of responses.
1. How would Carlo Ancelotti arrange this lineup to accommodate all of his attackers?
Ancelotti declared before the game, “I have a very big problem.”. I have spent the entire summer considering who to include and who not to. My holidays are ruined by it. It’s evident why. For his debut, he succeeded in squeezing in Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo Goes, and Kylian Mbappé, his four biggest stars. Even so, he continued to bench players like the highly talented Brahim Díaz and the highly promising Arda Güler, who had an excellent preseason. Rodrygo on the right, Mbappé in the middle, and Vini on the left made for a potent line-up that allowed all three players a great deal of freedom. Mbappé’s deep, off-the-shoulder move impressed as they connected well, especially from the left flank. Although the system wasn’t entirely optimized at that point, it did function.
2. How would someone take Toni Kroos’ place?
Toni Kroos cannot be replaced, so Ancelotti had to figure out how to adjust his squad to life without the German maestro. In this instance, that meant moving Bellingham back into midfield and maintaining Aurelién Tchouameni in the holding position. The midfield trio was completed by Fede Valverde, who was donning the number eight jersey for the first time. The trio looked well-versed playing alongside another one and overcame some early jitters defensively. Specifically, Bellingham registered two chances created, including his assist, while Valverde led the midfield in passes completed, finishing 50 of 59 attempts.
3. How fit would the squad be?
Only one week after participating in the international tournaments through to the very end, six of the starting 11 members returned to training after missing all of Real Madrid’s preseason action. That was always going to be a difficult task, but out of those six, four played the entire ninety minutes without showing any signs of weariness or exhaustion. Los Blancos actually had no trouble finishing the game and appeared to be in better shape than Atalanta towards the end. The issue was more one of a slow start, if you will. Sunday night in Mallorca could provide a better indication, as Ancelotti might need to make a decision regarding a few regular players from his best lineup.
Three queries.
1. Is there a European dynasty that can rival Real Madrid’s?
Real Madrid defeated AC Milan and FC Barcelona, who had each won five UEFA Super Cups, to take the lead with six titles following their victory in Warsaw. In all of Europe’s premier competitions, no team can match their total as a result. It also raises an interesting question regarding the significance of FIFA’s upcoming Club World Cup competition for Real Madrid in the summer. The club’s level of commitment to it may vary throughout the season, but it needs to be Los Blancos’ next move after taking control of Europe.
2. Was Eduardo Camavinga really necessary for Real Madrid?
The Frenchman suffered a sprained knee ligament during training prior to this game, which appears to have been the low point of the trip to Poland. He could be sidelined for up to two months. Nevertheless, Jude Bellingham looked in great form as he recorded an assist in a solid performance, and Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni saw out the entire 90 minutes, making the Real Madrid midfield formidable in his absence. Dani Ceballos also saw action, but Luka Modrić’s experience off the bench was essential to the team’s 2-0 lead and victory. Not in Warsaw, but in the coming weeks, will be the true test.
Three. Having recently registered, what is the expected number of goals that Kylian Mbappé will reach?
Kylian Mbappé had never scored on his debut for any team before, not even as a rookie with Real Madrid. He never had to wait to adjust while playing for Monaco, PSG, or France before scoring his first goal—at least not while wearing the white jersey of Real Madrid. Mbappé scored his first goal for Real Madrid with his first effort on goal after missing one earlier and having another attempt on goal blocked. It wasn’t too bad for a player playing in his first game in a new system with his new teammates, as he was a central forward almost like a number nine instead of the wide roles we’ve seen him in a lot of his previous games. This was merely a precursor to things to come.
