REAL MADRID VS ATALANTA AT A GLANCE
When: Wednesday 14 August (21:00 CAT kick-off)
Where: National Stadium, Warsaw
What: Uefa Champions League holders v Uefa Europa League winners
How to follow: Build-up and live broadcast on SuperSport TV
Real Madrid face Atalanta in the 2024 Uefa Super Cup at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland, on Wednesday.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
Super Cup records will tumble if Real Madrid get the better of Atalanta in Warsaw. Los Blancos are aiming to pull clear of fellow five-time victors Barcelona and Milan by becoming the first team to win a sixth title, while Carlo Ancelotti is looking for a fifth as a coach – something nobody has managed before.
In addition, Champions League final goalscorer Dani Carvajal and midfield maestro Luka Modrić could become the first players to appear in five Super Cup victories. With big summer signing Kylian Mbappé set to make his first competitive appearance for Madrid, there is plenty of intrigue and interest surrounding this season opener for the 15-time European champions.
REAL MADRID'S ROAD TO GLORY: EVERY GOAL
Standing in their way are Atalanta, appearing in the Super Cup for the very first time after winning a debut major continental title with a superb 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final last season. La Dea may start the encounter in Poland as underdogs, but will no doubt be keen to continue surprising people, just as they did throughout 2023/24.
"Madrid are a fantastic team, but we are happy to be the underdogs," inspirational captain Marten de Roon said. "It was the same against Leverkusen, so perhaps that's a good role for us." It's all set up for a fascinating opening to the new European season.
PREDICTED LINE-UPS
REAL MADRID: Courtois; Carvajal, Militão, Rüdiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Modrić; Bellingham; Mbappé, VinÃcius Júnior
ATALANTA: Musso; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolašinac; Zappacosta, Éderson, De Roon, Ruggeri; De Ketelare, Retegui, Lookman
DO THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS USUALLY WIN?
Champions League winners Manchester City lifted the trophy in 2023, but this pattern does not always apply. The European Cup/Champions League holders have won 28 of the 48 editions.
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
GRAHAM HUNTER, REAL MADRID REPORTER
For the outside world the thrill might be the prospect of a first glimpse of Kylian Mbappé dressed in Real Madrid colours for a competitive debut. However, for Carlo Ancelotti, the rest of the squad and Madridistas everywhere the thrill is the chase of yet another trophy.
The Italian has made it abundantly clear that, even though Madrid have seven trophies to compete for this season, winning the Super Cup is of fundamental importance to him and to the club. A handful of his squad, Mbappé included, have only had around a week of working flat-out following holidays, so expect all the substitutes to be used in the course of Los Blancos attempt to win two trophies in back-to-back matches following their Wembley Champions League triumph.
PAOLO MENICUCCI, ATALANTA REPORTER
Atalanta were considered underdogs for most of their triumphant Europa League campaign last season – final included – and they enjoyed that role as they made history by claiming a first ever European trophy in Dublin.
Once again Gian Piero Gasperini's men will play to beat the odds against the most successful team in Europe, and Gianluca Scamacca's recent knee injury will not help their cause. Ancelotti, however, is certainly aware that his side cannot underestimate rock-solid Atalanta, especially if Ademola Lookman – hat-trick hero against Leverkusen – has another magical European night.
VIEW FROM THE CAMPS
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach, to Uefa.com: "It's going to be tough as always because it's the beginning of the season. But we are going there with every confidence and conviction, while bearing in mind all the challenges. Atalanta deserve to be there because they played an amazing Europa League campaign, knocking out top teams like Liverpool. They were able to win those kinds of games easily, even the final. We respect this team a lot, but we hope to be at our best."
ITALIAN SUPER CUP WINNERS
Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta coach, to Uefa.com: "It will be an extraordinary occasion for Atalanta, for Bergamo, for the history of the place. We are playing against the most decorated club in the world, against the team that has won the most in the world. To play a final like this, for this trophy against such an important club, would have been unthinkable until fairly recently. There's a huge sense of pride. There's no doubt it's a high point, perhaps the pinnacle in the history of Atalanta."