It may not have been a classic encounter, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham finally found himself before the home supporters with his arms outstretched, basking in the crowd's singing of his anthem. Following a lengthy layoff and uncertainty about his position, he netted his first goal of the campaign, eventually securing a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” stated Thibaut Courtois.
Decisive Stops Secure the Win
The shot-stopper knew better than anyone, having to save a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and produce another crucial save from the French midfielder in the dying moments. The win puts Madrid on nine points and Igor Tudor’s team below the cut. After a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the Juventus manager may reflect on a promising opening, with those saves representing a wasted moment around the 85-minute mark; their current situation though makes for worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in trouble is twice as dangerous,” Xabi Alonso had remarked beforehand.
The Turin-based club, which were without a victory since September, did cause Madrid problems at the start and once more near the end. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus were dangerous on the counter, particularly with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and the striker combining, managing a dozen attempts compared to the hosts' twenty-seven.
Strong Opening for Visitors
They had started well, certainly. After just three minutes, they believed they were in front, Vlahović somewhat unlucky to be penalized for holding the Brazilian defender. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene in front of Vlahović when Kalulu broke free on the right. And three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's shot was pushed wide.
Next, from Federico Gatti's drive, was a more impressive save. Fifteen minutes had passed. That said, quickly the visitors' impetus had dissipated as well. Madrid took control. Mostly it was all a bit functional, though, and the three best opportunities fell to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. Two were off target, a third took a deflection; an additional chance with the head was wasted by the center-back.
Guler Shines
The best moments came from Arda Güler. The Turk, whose play was the nearest thing there was to smooth attacking, was always involved. His neat stop and turn saw him deliver to the back post for the Englishman.
Little was seen of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid got to a goal. Initially his attempt was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would make eight saves. Next some lovely fast footwork saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso twice until he tumbled to the ground and laid off to Militão to blast over.
Second-Half Drama
Militão threw himself to stop the runner at the outset of the second period, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when unexpectedly Vlahović was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly cutting out a ball inside his own penalty box and the sphere deflecting from the instep of his boot right through the center to past the center circle. Sprinting after it, huge space appearing, Vlahović outpaced Militão, using his strength and heading into the area where the keeper saved.
Next the usual pattern occurred, the save made good by the goal that follows it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior created it, working himself enough room amid four men to unleash a driven effort which struck the upright. Lurking in that forward position was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, Mbappé denied by the keeper and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley deflected by Gatti. Subsequently Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the game was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were opened up and at the risk of the substitute unmarked in the penalty box. Then in the dying moments Courtois flew in to deny Thuram, his job done. For the visitors, there was no way back, Bellingham’s first of the campaign the final of the encounter.
“It’s a great feeling, a while now since I’ve scored, a period out and thinking of that moment, back in the Champions League and against a major opponent. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I felt comfortable, really good. To perform was important and to score the winning goal benefits the team greatly.”
As for his performance, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, still fifteen strikes, 14 assists, but I know the perception was that it was poorer. But I was a part of that, how we underperformed last year, there were still positive spells but not the level I aim to play at, not the level like the debut season. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a new manager, he’s got that system, how we want to play…. You have to take lessons.”