It may not have been a match for the ages, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham finally found himself before the home supporters with his arms wide open, basking in the fans' singing of Hey Jude. After a shoulder injury and questions about his role, he scored his first goal of the season, eventually delivering a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that made them work hard. “It was a tough battle,” commented Thibaut Courtois.
Key Saves Ensure the Victory
Courtois understood perfectly well, having to rescue a one-on-one from the Serbian striker and make another crucial stop from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. The win puts Madrid on nine points and Igor Tudor’s team outside the qualifying spots. After a match with more shots than fluid football, the visiting coach may reflect on a promising opening, with those saves representing a wasted moment around the closing stages; the team's reality however presents worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in trouble is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had warned beforehand.
Juventus, who hadn’t won since last month, posed Madrid issues at the beginning and once more near the conclusion. Madrid commanded possession, 66%-34%, but Juventus threatened on the break, especially with the French defender surging forward and the striker combining, managing 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Strong Opening for Visitors
The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. After just three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović a little unfortunate to be called for pulling the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, the Madrid defender had to intervene ahead of him when the wing-back broke free on the right. Then soon after, Weston McKennie's effort was deflected past the post.
Next, from the defender's powerful strike, was a more impressive stop. A quarter of an hour had passed. However, quickly the Italians' momentum had dissipated too. Madrid assumed command. 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 headed over, a third one took a deflection; an additional chance with the head was missed by the center-back.
Guler Shines
Most creative play came from Arda Güler. The Turk, whose play was the nearest thing there was to smooth attacking, was always involved. His clever control and spin saw him deliver to the far post for the Englishman.
There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he finally emerged it was the closest Madrid got to a goal. First his shot was denied by the Juventus keeper, who would produce eight saves. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso twice until he went down to the turf and laid off to his teammate to fire over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian threw himself to halt Kalulu at the outset of the second half, and then came the customary save from the keeper when suddenly the attacker was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender cutting out a ball inside his own area and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his boot right through the center to beyond the center circle. Sprinting after it, huge space appearing, the striker raced his marker, holding him off and heading into the box where the keeper saved.
Next the usual pattern happened, the save made good by the score that comes after it. A flash from the Brazilian winger created it, creating enough room amid four men to release a low, left-footed shot which struck the upright. Lurking in that forward position was Bellingham. With the deadlock broken, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman denied by the keeper and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley deflected by Gatti. Subsequently Di Gregorio made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and Brahim Díaz.
There were more scares: as the match was drawing to a close, the defender had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the mercy of the substitute momentarily alone in the penalty box. Then in the final seconds the Madrid keeper flew in to stop Thuram, his work complete. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal of the campaign the final of the match.
“I'm overjoyed, a long time now since I’ve scored, a period out and thinking of that instant, returning in the Champions League and against a big team. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I felt comfortable, excellent. To perform was important and to score the winning goal benefits the team greatly.”
As for his form, he continued: “I didn’t think last year was a failure, still 15 goals, fourteen setups, but I understand the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a part of that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were nonetheless positive spells but not the standard I want to play at, not the caliber 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.”
