It may not have been a match for the ages, the chanting from the Madrid's home stadium was unmistakable. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again found himself before the south end with his arms outstretched, basking in the crowd's rendition of his anthem. After a shoulder injury and questions about his role, he netted his opening strike of the campaign, eventually delivering a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” stated Thibaut Courtois.
Key Saves Ensure the Win
The shot-stopper knew perfectly well, having to save a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and produce another decisive stop from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. This result puts Madrid on nine points and the opposition team below the cut. At the end of a match with more shots than fluid football, the visiting coach may consider a promising opening, with those opportunities representing a wasted moment around the closing stages; their current situation however makes for worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in difficulty is twice as dangerous,” Xabi Alonso had remarked beforehand.
Juventus, who hadn’t won since September, posed Madrid issues at the beginning and again near the end. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus were dangerous on the counter, particularly with Pierre Kalulu running and the striker combining, firing off a dozen attempts compared to the home side's 27.
Strong Opening for Away Side
They had started well, without a doubt. After just three minutes, they thought they were ahead, the forward somewhat unlucky to be called for pulling Éder Militão. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene in front of him when Kalulu broke free on the right flank. Then soon after, the American midfielder's shot was deflected past the post.
Next, from Federico Gatti's powerful strike, was a more impressive save. A quarter of an hour had passed. However, quickly the visitors' impetus had faded too. Madrid took control. Mostly it was rather mechanical, however, and the three best opportunities fell to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. A couple were off target, a third deflected wide; another chance with the head was wasted by Militão.
Guler Shines
The best moments were provided by Arda Güler. Güler, whose football was the closest there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His neat stop and turn saw him clip to the back post for Bellingham.
There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he did appear it was the closest Madrid got to a goal. Initially his attempt was denied by the Juventus keeper, who would produce several stops. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him evade the full-back repeatedly until he tumbled to the ground and laid off to his teammate to blast over.
Second-Half Drama
The Brazilian threw himself to halt the runner at the outset of the second period, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when suddenly Vlahović was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been remarkable, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a ball inside his own area and the sphere deflecting from the instep of his boot right through the middle to beyond the halfway line. Sprinting after it, huge space opening, the striker raced Militão, using his strength and advancing into the area where Courtois saved.
Then the usual pattern occurred, the stop compensated for by the score that follows it. A burst from the Brazilian winger set up it, working himself enough room amid four men to unleash a driven effort which hit the post. Lurking in that forward position was Bellingham. With the deadlock broken, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman stopped by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley blocked by the defender. Then Di Gregorio made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and Brahim Díaz.
It was not the only one: as the match was drawing to a close, the defender had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were opened up and at the mercy of the substitute momentarily alone in the penalty box. Finally in the final seconds Courtois flew in to deny Thuram, his job complete. For Juve, there was no way back, the opening goal 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 thinking of that moment, returning in the elite competition and against a big team. To get the decisive goal, here at home, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, really good. To perform was important and to score the winning goal benefits the team a lot.”
Regarding his form, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, with 15 goals, fourteen setups, but I know the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a contributor to that, how we underperformed last year, there were still good moments but not the level I aim to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a new manager, he’s got that shape, how we intend to play…. You have to learn from it.”
