Mbappé lifts his first European title with Real Madrid

Real Madrid travelled all the way to Poland with Mbappé to lift the first of six titles ahead of Los Blancos this season. The result was as usual.

The expected result for a European champion reinforced with the best player in the world and against a team, Atalanta, who were not even the shadow of the Europa League champions of May.

Ancelotti played the role of the coach who is unconcerned about having the best players in his squad. His mood suggested he had a settled eleven and a game plan where Mbappé would have his space surrounded by Rodrygo, Vinicius and Bellingham.

And so it was. A 4-3-3 with a midfield where Bellingham, Valverde and Tchouaméni were unable to make up for the talent of Kroos. The Italian coach relied on an electric attack capable of scoring goals every ten minutes. But the reality was very different and football put each team in its place, with Real Madrid suffering more than they should have done in the first half.

Atalanta set up a tough midfield with Pasalic, De Roon and Zappacosta cutting off the runs of Bellingham and Valverde and eventually cutting Real Madrid down the middle. Vinicius, Rodrygo and Mbappé stayed on their attacking island and were reminiscent of those tridents who were not ordered to go down, only to score goals to the despair of the rest of the team.

At Real Madrid there is a good atmosphere and that avoids bad faces. It was only necessary to wait for Ancelotti (or Davide) to encourage the team with changes. But the goals came early. In the 59th minute, Vinicius did his thing on the wing and set up Valverde with a ball that ended in a special goal dedicated to the former tenant of the number 8 that was marked on his trousers. Down the same flank came the second goal with Bellingham's flick which Mbappé collected to tap home the second goal, his first in white and the one that confirmed that he was finally going to lift a European title.

Modric, Brahim, Güler, Ceballos and Lucas were Ancelotti's changes as a sign of appreciation for their contribution to the team last season in the Champions League. Real Madrid hardly saw their goalkeeping compromised once Courtois has returned to force out Lunin.

The club lifted the first title of a long season in Poland and will be expected to win everything, but whether the constellation is capable of generating the football demanded by the world's best team in a less competitive league and a different Champions League in which they must reign again is another matter.