Match ends, Atalanta 0, Real Madrid 1.
AtalantaAtalanta0Real MadridReal Madrid1
Ferland Mendy scored a stunning late winner as Real Madrid clinched a hard-working last-16 first-leg victory against 10-man Atalanta.
Real looked like being left frustrated by a well-organised home side until Mendy curled in with four minutes left.
Atalanta's Remo Freuler was sent off after just 17 minutes for denying Mendy a clear goalscoring opportunity.
The depleted hosts did not have a single shot on target and now must score in the return leg on 16 March.
Real were without a number of key first-team players through injury including captain Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard and Dani Carvajal and it showed for almost the entire contest.
With Atalanta sitting back after Freuler's early red card for a cynical trip on Mendy, Zinedine Zidane's side failed to create clear-cut chances.
Isco, playing as the furthest man forward, saw a turn and shot deflect wide, while Marco Asensio's header and free-kick were comfortable for Pierluigi Gollini to deal with.
But with time running out, full-back Mendy earned his side a priceless away goal with a sublime curling effort from 25 yards to put Real in charge of the tie.
Atalanta will feel disappointed by conceding so late having displayed a solid defensive showing but remain without a victory at home in the Champions League this term.
Zidane, meanwhile, will be eyeing a 13th knockout-tie triumph from 14 attempts after Real progressed from the group stages for a record 24th consecutive campaign.
'We must win' - what they said
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane: "They're physically strong, and they did a great defensive job. It's a good result for us and that's the most important thing. I don't think creativity is an issue as we scored, and didn't concede.
"We've got a lot of absentees but we're on the right track, we're strong defensively, didn't give up any chances and got our away goal."
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini: "It's disappointing to not have been able to play this game as we wanted to. Down to 10 men, it was a different game. We had to defend, and we did it well.
"We just have to win in Madrid. It's easy - we can't overthink, we just have one possibility. We must win."
Atalanta games guarantee goals - the stats
- Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have won Champions League matches against 60 different teams - no side has won against more opponents in the competition.
- Real Madrid have won all five of their Champions League games in Italy under Zinedine Zidane, keeping four clean sheets in the process.
- Atalanta mustered just two shots in this match, both in the first half - their lowest in any game in the competition. This was also the first time they failed to have a shot on target in a Champions League match.
- None of Atalanta's 16 Champions League games has ended goalless, while they remain the only team left in the last 16 yet to win a home game in the competition this term (D2 L2).
- Remo Freuler's red card for Atalanta after 17 minutes was the fastest ever sending off for an Italian side in the Champions League.
- Ferland Mendy's winner for Real Madrid was his first ever Champions League goal in his 20th appearance in the competition.
Player of the match
IlicicJosip Ilicic
with an average of 7.83
Atalanta
Avg
- Squad number72Player nameIlicicAverage rating
7.83
- Squad number6Player namePalominoAverage rating
7.70
- Squad number91Player nameZapataAverage rating
7.63
- Squad number3Player nameMaehleAverage rating
7.61
- Squad number15Player namede RoonAverage rating
7.59
- Squad number32Player namePessinaAverage rating
7.58
- Squad number8Player nameGosensAverage rating
7.57
- Squad number18Player nameMalinovskiyAverage rating
7.53
- Squad number17Player nameRomeroAverage rating
7.46
- Squad number19Player nameDjimsitiAverage rating
7.45
- Squad number88Player namePasalicAverage rating
7.38
- Squad number9Player nameMurielAverage rating
7.36
- Squad number2Player nameRafael TolóiAverage rating
7.25
- Squad number95Player nameGolliniAverage rating
6.76
- Squad number11Player nameFreulerAverage rating
6.25
Real Madrid
Avg
- Squad number23Player nameMendyAverage rating
5.38
- Squad number10Player nameModricAverage rating
5.21
- Squad number22Player nameIscoAverage rating
4.90
- Squad number8Player nameKroosAverage rating
4.87
- Squad number5Player nameVaraneAverage rating
4.78
- Squad number20Player nameVinícius JúniorAverage rating
4.77
- Squad number1Player nameCourtoisAverage rating
4.63
- Squad number14Player nameCasemiroAverage rating
4.58
- Squad number11Player nameAsensioAverage rating
4.56
- Squad number17Player nameLucas VázquezAverage rating
4.55
- Squad number6Player nameNachoAverage rating
4.45
- Squad number34Player nameDuroAverage rating
4.29
- Squad number24Player nameMarianoAverage rating
4.20
- Squad number30Player nameArribasAverage rating
4.17
Line-ups
Atalanta
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 95Gollini
- 2Toloi
- 17Romero
- 19Djimsiti
- 3MaehleSubstituted forPalominoat 86'minutes
- 15de Roon
- 11FreulerBooked at 17mins
- 8GosensBooked at 71mins
- 32Pessina
- 91ZapataSubstituted forPasalicat 30'minutes
- 9MurielSubstituted forIlicicat 56'minutesSubstituted forMalinovskiyat 86'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Sutalo
- 6Palomino
- 7Lammers
- 13Caldara
- 18Malinovskiy
- 31Rossi
- 40Ruggeri
- 57Sportiello
- 59Al Miranchuk
- 72Ilicic
- 88Pasalic
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Courtois
- 17Vázquez
- 5Varane
- 6Nacho
- 23MendyBooked at 55mins
- 10Modric
- 14CasemiroBooked at 23mins
- 8Kroos
- 11AsensioSubstituted forArribasat 76'minutes
- 22IscoSubstituted forDuroat 76'minutes
- 20Vinícius JúniorSubstituted forMarianoat 57'minutes
Substitutes
- 13Lunin
- 24Mariano
- 26Altube
- 30Arribas
- 31Blanco
- 32Chust
- 34Duro
- 35Gutiérrez
- Referee:
- Tobias Stieler
Match Stats
Home TeamAtalantaAway TeamReal Madrid
- Possession
- Home31%
- Away69%
- Shots
- Home2
- Away19
- Shots on Target
- Home0
- Away4
- Corners
- Home1
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Atalanta 0, Real Madrid 1.
Post update
Foul by Sergio Arribas (Real Madrid).
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Robin Gosens (Atalanta) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Hugo Duro (Real Madrid).
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Rafael Tolói (Atalanta) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Offside, Real Madrid. Casemiro tries a through ball, but Lucas Vázquez is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Casemiro (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt blocked. Mariano (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lucas Vázquez with a cross.
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Foul by Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid).
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Matteo Pessina (Atalanta) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Attempt missed. Casemiro (Real Madrid) right footed shot from more than 35 yards misses to the left. Assisted by Ferland Mendy.
Goal!
Goal! Atalanta 0, Real Madrid 1. Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Luka Modric following a corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Atalanta. Ruslan Malinovskiy replaces Josip Ilicic.
Substitution
Substitution, Atalanta. José Luis Palomino replaces Joakim Maehle.
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Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Rafael Tolói.
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Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Mario Pasalic (Atalanta).
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Attempt blocked. Hugo Duro (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Casemiro.
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Attempt missed. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Mariano.
