Defending champions Paris Saint-Gemain were facing an injury crisis as they prepared to lead fellow Ligue 1 clubs Marseille and Monaco into this season's Champions League.
Shorn of star strikers Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué who were both injured on international duty with France last week, three more PSG players were hurt during Sunday's 2-0 win over Lens in Ligue 1 at the Parc des Princes.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia went down and was substituted in the first-half. South Korea international Kang-in Lee suffered the same fate just after the pause. With 20 minutes remaining, Lucas Beraldo had to be carried off on a stretcher after twisting his ankle.
"We tried to change players to give everyone the game time that they need," said PSG boss Luis Enrique after the match.
"But it was a difficult game because some of them got injured. We have to accept the situation."
The 55-year-old Spaniard, who has steered PSG to eight trophies since taking over in July 2023, added: "I have different options for the game against Atalanta.
"For me, it's important to have several versatile players. I can change many players' positions. I trust the entire team."
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Return to Champions League
Marseille will be the first of the French top flight sides in action. Last Friday night at the Vélodrome, they warmed up for their game at Real Madrid on Tuesday night with a 4-0 thumping of Lorient.
"Last year we didn't play in any European competitions," said Marseille boss Roberto de Zerbi on the eve of the clash at the Santiago Bernabeu. "So we're proud to be in the tournament.
"It's important for Marseille to be in not just any competition but in the Champions League," added the 46-year-old Italian.
"We will have to be alert in defence and in attack we must be ambitious. We have a lot of quality in the squad and we're not afraid."
After the visit to Madrid, Marseille will also play Ajax, Sporting Portugal, Atalanta, Newcastle United, Union Saint-Gilloise, Liverpool and Club Bruges.
"It isn't going to be a party against Madrid, it's the start of something difficult," De Zerbi added.
For the 2024/2025 tournament, the Champions League underwent a revamp
Instead of eight groups of four teams each producing a top two for the last-16 knockout stages, the reconfigured format paraded a 36-team league system in which the top eight sides qualify automatically for the last-16.
Clubs finishing between ninth and 24th take part in a two-match play-off for the eight other spots. The bottom 12 are eliminated.
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Road to glory
On their road to glory, PSG had to negotiate Ligue 1 counterparts Brest in the play-offs before outwitting Liverpool in the last-16, Aston Villa in the quarter-finals and Arsenal in the semis.
After dispatching the English Premier League's finest, PSG annihilated Inter Milan 5-0 in the final.
After Atalanta, PSG go on the road to Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen before hosting Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur.
Games in Spain and Portugal against Athletic Club and Sporting respectively precede PSG's final match in the league stages against Newcastle United at the Parc des Princes.
Once Dembélé and Doué are restored to the line-up, PSG are expected to feature among the favourites for the 2026 title along with Madrid who have won European club football's most prestigious trophy a record 15 times in its 70-year history.
"There are many teams who could win the cup," said De Zerbi. "Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Liverpool ...but honestly, I'm not thinking about that.
"All I know is that I have to do a good job with my team against Madrid who have a new coach."
Under former midfielder Xabi Alonso, Madrid have started the La Liga season with four wins from their four games. France international Kylian Mbappé has scored four of his team's eight La Liga goals.
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Xabi Alonso pedigree
"Alonso is a great coach," added De Zerbi. "He's very clear about how he sets out his team and he's been influenced by all the great coaches he has played for.
"He knows inside out how Madrid works. He's got young, quality players who have a great future ahead of them."
Monaco were among the four French clubs to taste the enhanced Champions League. They finished the league stages in 17th place with 13 points from their eight games.
They then fell to Benfica in the play-offs.
For their return to the competition, Monaco play at Club Bruges on Thursday night.
Head coach Adi Hütter is expected to field the Russia international Aleksandr Golovin who missed the Ligue 1 game at Auxerre with a muscle strain.
Monaco emerged from the tussle at the Stade de l'Abbe-Deschamps with a 2-1 victory.
"We didn't want to take any risks with Golovin," said Hütter "That's why we didn't want him to make the trip, especially before the match in Bruges."
Monaco will host the Premier League outfits Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in October.
Trips to Bodo Glimt in Norway and Pafos in Cyprus follow in November and just before Christmas, Monaco will take on the Turkish side Galatasaray.
Monaco's league stage campaign culminates with a voyage to Real Madrid on 20 January and a visit to the Stade Louis II of the Serie A giants Juventus on 28 January.
