The first piece of legitimate 2024/25 silverware is up for grabs on Wednesday night as Real Madrid face Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup.

Madrid’s seemingly perpetual Champions League success means they’re familiar with such occasions and are five-time winners of the trophy, but this will be the first time Atalanta have competed in the Super Cup after they secured their maiden European trophy at the back end of 2023/24.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side stunned Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the Europa League final thanks to an Ademola Lookman hat-trick.

Madrid, meanwhile, bagged their 15th Champions League/European Cup success after downing Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley. Carlo Ancelotti’s side were double winners last time out, and they’ve since been bolstered by the arrival of French superstar Kylian Mbappe, who’s set to make his Madrid debut on in Warsaw on Wednesday.

Here’s 90min’s preview of the 2024 UEFA Super Cup.

Real Madrid vs Atalanta H2H Record (All Games)

Current form (all competitions)

Kylian Mbappe is expected to make his first Real Madrid start having been fully integrated into Ancelotti’s squad post-US tour. Mbappe could line up alongside Brazilians Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in Madrid’s frontline.

Jude Bellingham is also set to line up in a midfield that will be without the retired Toni Kroos. Federico Valverde returned late from the Copa America but is ready to go on Wednesday, and these two should be joined in the middle of the park by Aurelien Tchouameni.

David Alaba was the only injury-enforced absence before Eduardo Camavinga had to limp out of training on Tuesday. A minor knee issue is expected to keep the Frenchman on the sidelines.

Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Atalanta (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Militao, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius Junior.

Atalanta were dealt a big blow earlier this summer with Gianluca Scamacca sustaining an ACL tear during a pre-season friendly. The Italian international is out indefinitely.

The club has signed Mateo Retegui from Genoa as mitigation, while Charles De Ketelaere has joined permanently following an excellent loan spell last season.

Ben Godfrey and Nicolo Zaniolo have also been brought in, but neither player is expected to make Gasperini’s starting XI on Wednesday.

Giorgio Scalvini remains out with a long-term knee injury, while Teun Koopmeiners is unlikely to feature given the speculation that surrounds his future.

Atalanta predicted lineup vs Real Madrid (3-4-2-1): Musso; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, Pasalic, Ederson, Ruggeri; Lookman, De Ketelaere; Retegui.

The big boys are back in town for Madrid, with plenty of intrigue surrounding Mbappe’s integration. How will the Frenchman look on his Los Blancos bow?

We shouldn’t expect anything close to the best iteration of Ancelotti’s side in Warsaw, but Atalanta aren’t exactly heading into their maiden Super Cup outing in the best of form. Their summer has been patchy, but they have worked astutely in the market.

Gasperini’s side will compete fiercely on Wednesday and pose multiple tactical issues, but victory in the Super Cup against this superstar-laden Madrid outfit is surely beyond them.

Prediction: Real Madrid 2-0 Atalanta

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