While it wasn't a classic encounter, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham finally stood before the home supporters with his arms outstretched, basking in the crowd's singing of his anthem. Following a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his role, he netted his first goal of the campaign, eventually securing a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that made them work hard. “We had to sweat for it,” stated Thibaut Courtois.
Key Saves Ensure the Win
Courtois understood better than anyone, having to save a clear chance from Dušan Vlahović and make another decisive save from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. The win leaves Madrid on a strong tally and Igor Tudor’s team below the cut. At the end of a match with more shots than fluid football, the visiting coach may reflect on a decent start, with those saves representing a wasted moment around the closing stages; their current situation however makes for worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in difficulty is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had remarked beforehand.
The Turin-based club, which were without a victory since last month, posed Madrid problems at the beginning and once more near the end. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the break, especially with Pierre Kalulu running and the striker linking up, firing off a dozen attempts compared to the home side's 27.
Promising Start for Away Side
They had started well, certainly. Within three minutes, they believed they were in front, the forward a little unlucky to be called for pulling Éder Militão. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to slide ahead of him when Kalulu broke free on the right flank. And soon after, Weston McKennie's shot was pushed wide.
What followed, from Federico Gatti's powerful strike, was a more impressive stop. A quarter of an hour had gone. However, soon the visitors' impetus had faded as well. Madrid took control. Mostly it was all a bit functional, however, and the top chances fell to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. Two were headed over, a third deflected wide; another headed opportunity was wasted by the center-back.
Turkish Talent Impresses
Most creative play were provided by Arda Güler. Güler, 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 Bellingham.
Little was seen of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid came to a goal. First his attempt was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would produce eight saves. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him evade Andrea Cambiaso repeatedly until he went down to the ground and set up Militão to fire over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian threw himself to halt the runner at the start of the second half, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when unexpectedly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been remarkable, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a ball inside his own penalty box and the ball deflecting from the instep of his foot right through the middle to beyond the center circle. Sprinting after it, ample room appearing, the striker raced Militão, holding him off and advancing into the box where the keeper made the stop.
Then what tends to happen happened, the save compensated for by the score that follows it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior created it, working himself enough space amid multiple defenders to unleash a driven effort which struck the post. Positioned in that forward position was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman denied by the keeper and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley blocked by Gatti. Subsequently the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from the forward and Brahim Díaz.
It was not the only one: as the game was drawing to a close, the defender had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the mercy of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the penalty box. Finally in the dying moments the Madrid keeper flew in to deny Thuram, his job done. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, Bellingham’s first of the season the last of the match.
“I'm overjoyed, a long time now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and thinking of that moment, back in the Champions League and against a major opponent. To score a winner, here at home, it’s incredible. I was at ease, really good. To play well was crucial and to net the match-winner helps the team greatly.”
Regarding his performance, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, with 15 goals, fourteen setups, but I understand 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 level I aim 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 intend to play…. You have to take lessons.”
