It may not have been a classic encounter, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was unmistakable. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham finally found himself before the home supporters with his arms outstretched, listening to the crowd's singing of his anthem. After a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his role, he scored his opening strike of the season, eventually securing a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” commented Thibaut Courtois.
Decisive Stops Secure the Victory
Courtois understood perfectly well, having to save a clear chance from the Serbian striker and produce another decisive stop from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. This result puts Madrid on a strong tally and Igor Tudor’s team below the cut. After a game with more shots than fluid football, the visiting coach may consider a decent start, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the closing stages; their current situation though presents worrying statistics.
“An Italian team in difficulty is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had warned in advance.
The Turin-based club, who hadn’t won since September, did cause Madrid problems at the beginning and again near the conclusion. Madrid commanded the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the counter, particularly with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and Vlahović combining, managing 12 shots compared to the hosts' 27.
Promising Start for Visitors
The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. Within three minutes, they thought they were in front, Vlahović a little unlucky to be called for pulling Éder Militão. Three minutes later, the Madrid defender had to slide ahead of Vlahović when Kalulu dashed clear on the right flank. And three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's effort was deflected wide.
Next, from the defender's drive, was a more impressive stop. A quarter of an hour had gone. That said, soon the visitors' impetus had faded as well. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was rather mechanical, however, and the three best opportunities came to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were headed over, a third deflected wide; an additional headed opportunity was missed by the center-back.
Guler Shines
The best moments were provided by Arda Güler. The Turk, whose football 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 a goal. Initially his attempt was denied by the Juventus keeper, who would make several stops. Next some lovely fast footwork saw him turn the full-back twice until he went down to the ground and laid off to Militão to blast over.
Second-Half Drama
The Brazilian threw himself to halt Kalulu at the outset of the second period, and then came the customary Courtois rescue when suddenly Vlahović was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a pass inside his own area and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his boot directly through the middle to beyond the halfway line. Racing after it, ample room appearing, the striker outpaced his marker, using his strength and heading into the area where the keeper made the stop.
Then what tends to happen occurred, the stop compensated for by the goal that comes after it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior set up it, creating enough space amid four men to unleash a low, left-footed shot which hit the post. Lurking in that striker’s role was Bellingham. With the deadlock broken, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman denied by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his volley deflected by Gatti. Then Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from the forward and Brahim Díaz.
It was not the only one: as the game was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the risk of the substitute unmarked in the area. Then in the dying moments Courtois dived to deny Thuram, his work done. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, Bellingham’s first of the season the last of the match.
“It’s a great feeling, a while now since I’ve found the net, a period out and thinking of that instant, back in the Champions League and against a major opponent. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, excellent. To perform was crucial and to net the match-winner helps the team a lot.”
Regarding his performance, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, still 15 goals, fourteen setups, but I understand the perception was that it was worse. 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 shape, how we intend to play…. You have to take lessons.”
