While it wasn't a classic encounter, the chanting from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again found himself before the home supporters with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's rendition of his anthem. After a shoulder injury and questions about his role, he netted his first goal of the season, eventually delivering a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that made them work hard. “We had to sweat for it,” stated Thibaut Courtois.
Decisive Stops Secure the Win
Courtois knew perfectly well, having to rescue a clear chance from the Serbian striker and produce another decisive stop from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. The win leaves Madrid on nine points and the opposition team below the cut. After a game with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may reflect on a promising opening, with those saves representing a wasted moment around the 85-minute mark; the team's reality though presents worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in trouble is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had remarked beforehand.
The Turin-based club, who hadn’t won since last month, did cause Madrid issues at the start and again near the conclusion. Madrid dominated possession, with a significant advantage, but Juventus were dangerous on the break, particularly with Pierre Kalulu running and the striker combining, firing off 12 shots compared to the home side's 27.
Strong Opening for Visitors
They had started well, without a doubt. After just three minutes, they believed they were ahead, the forward somewhat unfortunate to be called for pulling the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, the Madrid defender had to slide in front of Vlahović when the wing-back broke free on the right. Then three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's effort was pushed wide.
What followed, from the defender's drive, was a more impressive save. Fifteen minutes had passed. However, soon the visitors' impetus had dissipated too. Madrid took control. Mostly it was rather mechanical, though, and the top chances came to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. A couple were off target, a third took a deflection; an additional chance with the head was missed by the center-back.
Guler Shines
Most creative play were provided by Arda Güler. The Turk, whose play was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His neat stop and turn saw him deliver to the back post for the Englishman.
There was not much sign of the French superstar early on, but when he did appear it was the closest Madrid got to scoring. Initially his shot was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would make several stops. Next some exquisite dribbling saw him evade the full-back twice until he tumbled to the turf and set up Militão to blast over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian threw himself to stop Kalulu at the start of the second period, and then came the customary save from the keeper when suddenly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a ball inside his own area and the ball bouncing from the instep of his boot directly through the middle to beyond the center circle. Racing after it, ample room appearing, Vlahović outpaced Militão, holding him off and heading into the area where the keeper made the stop.
Then what tends to happen happened, the stop made good by the score that comes after it. A burst from the Brazilian winger created it, working himself enough space amid multiple defenders to release a driven effort which struck the post. Lurking in that forward position was Bellingham. With the deadlock broken, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, Mbappé stopped by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley deflected by the defender. Then Di Gregorio made a brilliant double stop from the forward and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the match was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the risk of the substitute momentarily alone in the penalty box. Then in the dying moments Courtois dived to deny Thuram, his job done. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, Bellingham’s first of the campaign the last of the encounter.
“It’s a great feeling, a while now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and dreaming of that instant, back in the Champions League and against a big team. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, really good. To perform was important and to score the winning goal helps the team a lot.”
As for his performance, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, with fifteen strikes, 14 assists, but I know the perception was that it was worse. But I was a contributor to that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were still positive spells but not the standard I want to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a new manager, he’s got that system, how we want to play…. You have to learn from it.”
