It may not have been a match for the ages, the chanting from the Santiago Bernabéu was unmistakable. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the home supporters with his arms wide open, listening to the fans' rendition of Hey Jude. After a lengthy layoff and questions about his position, he netted his first goal of the campaign, eventually delivering a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” stated the Belgian goalkeeper.
Key Saves Ensure the Win
Courtois understood perfectly well, having to save a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and make another decisive save from the French midfielder in the final minute. The win leaves Madrid on nine points and the opposition team below the cut. At the end of a game with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may consider a decent start, with those opportunities representing a wasted moment around the closing stages; their current situation though makes for concerning reading.
“A side from Italy in trouble is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had warned beforehand.
The Turin-based club, who hadn’t won since last month, posed Madrid issues at the start and once more near the end. Madrid commanded possession, with a significant advantage, but Juventus were dangerous on the counter, especially with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and the striker linking up, managing 12 shots compared to the hosts' twenty-seven.
Promising Start for Visitors
The visitors began brightly, certainly. Within three minutes, they believed they were in front, Vlahović a little unfortunate to be penalized for pulling the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to slide ahead of him when the wing-back dashed clear on the right. Then soon after, the American midfielder's shot was pushed wide.
Next, from the defender's drive, was a even better save. A quarter of an hour had passed. However, soon the Italians' momentum had dissipated as well. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was all a bit functional, though, and the top chances fell to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were off target, a third took a deflection; another headed opportunity was missed by the center-back.
Guler Shines
The best moments were provided by the young Turk. The Turk, whose football was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His clever control and spin saw him deliver to the far post for Bellingham.
Little was seen of Kylian Mbappé early on, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid came 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 repeatedly until he went down to the ground and laid off to his teammate to fire over.
Second-Half Drama
The Brazilian threw himself to stop the runner at the start of the second period, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when unexpectedly the attacker was through. The “assist” had been quite something, with the defender cutting out a pass inside his own penalty box and the ball deflecting from the inside of his boot directly through the center to past the halfway line. Sprinting after it, huge space opening, the striker outpaced Militão, holding him off and advancing into the box where Courtois saved.
Next the usual pattern happened, the save compensated for by the goal that follows it. A flash from Vinícius Júnior set up it, creating enough room amid four men to release a driven effort which hit the upright. Positioned in that forward position was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman denied by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley blocked by the defender. Subsequently Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from Mbappé and Brahim Díaz.
There were more scares: as the game was drawing to a close, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the risk of the substitute unmarked in the area. Then in the final seconds the Madrid keeper dived to stop the midfielder, his work complete. For the visitors, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal of the season the last of the encounter.
“It’s a great feeling, a while now since I’ve found the net, a period out and thinking of that instant, returning in the Champions League and against a big team. To score a winner, here at home, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, really good. To play well was important and to net the match-winner benefits the team greatly.”
Regarding his form, he continued: “I didn’t think last year was a disaster, still fifteen strikes, 14 assists, but I understand the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a contributor to that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were nonetheless good moments but not the level I want to play at, not the level like the debut season. Now I’ve had my operation, a new manager, he’s got that shape, how we want to play…. You have to learn from it.”
