It may not have been a match for the ages, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the south end with his arms wide open, basking in the fans' singing of Hey Jude. After a lengthy layoff and uncertainty about his position, he netted his first goal of the season, eventually delivering a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” commented Thibaut Courtois.
Decisive Stops Secure the Win
The shot-stopper knew perfectly well, having to save a clear chance from Dušan Vlahović and make another decisive stop from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. The win puts Madrid on a strong tally and the opposition team below the cut. After a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the visiting coach may consider a promising opening, with those saves representing a wasted moment around the 85-minute mark; their current situation however makes for worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in trouble is twice as dangerous,” Xabi Alonso had remarked in advance.
Juventus, who were without a victory since September, did cause Madrid issues at the start and again near the end. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the counter, particularly with Pierre Kalulu running and Vlahović combining, firing off 12 shots compared to the hosts' twenty-seven.
Strong Opening for Away Side
The visitors began brightly, certainly. After just three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović somewhat unfortunate to be called for holding the Brazilian defender. Three minutes later, the Madrid defender had to intervene in front of Vlahović when Kalulu broke free on the right flank. And three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's shot was deflected past the post.
What followed, from the defender's drive, was a more impressive save. Fifteen minutes had passed. That said, quickly the visitors' impetus had dissipated too. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was rather mechanical, however, and the top chances came to the French midfielder, who is not the coach's preferred forward. Two were headed over, a third took a deflection; another headed opportunity was wasted by the center-back.
Guler Shines
Most creative play came from Arda Güler. Güler, whose play was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His neat stop and turn saw him clip to the far post for Bellingham.
Little was seen of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he finally emerged it was the closest Madrid got to scoring. Initially his attempt was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would make several stops. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him evade Andrea Cambiaso repeatedly until he tumbled to the ground and set up Militão to fire over.
Second-Half Drama
The Brazilian dived to stop the runner at the start of the second period, and then came the customary save from the keeper when unexpectedly Vlahović was through. The “assist” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a pass inside his own area and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his boot directly through the middle to beyond the center circle. Sprinting after it, ample room appearing, Vlahović outpaced his marker, using his strength and heading into the box where the keeper made the stop.
Next the usual pattern occurred, the save compensated for by the goal that follows it. A flash from Vinícius Júnior created it, creating enough room amid four men to release a driven effort which struck the upright. Positioned in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé stopped by the keeper and the Uruguayan seeing his volley blocked by Gatti. Subsequently the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from the forward and the attacking midfielder.
It was not the only one: as the game was slipping away, the defender had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were opened up and at the risk of the substitute unmarked in the area. Then in the final seconds Courtois dived to stop the midfielder, his job done. 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 long time now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and dreaming of that instant, returning in the elite competition and against a major opponent. To score a winner, here at home, it’s unbelievable. I was at ease, really good. To play well was important and to score the winning goal helps the team greatly.”
As for his form, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a failure, with 15 goals, 14 assists, but I understand the general feeling was that it was poorer. But I was a part of that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were nonetheless good moments but not the level I aim to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a different coach, he’s got that system, how we want to play…. You have to take lessons.”
