🔗 Share this article

While it wasn't a match for the ages, the roar from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham finally stood before the home supporters with his arms wide open, listening to the fans' singing of Hey Jude. After a lengthy layoff and questions about his position, he netted his opening strike of the campaign, ultimately securing a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” stated Thibaut Courtois.

Key Saves Secure the Win

The shot-stopper understood perfectly well, having to rescue a clear chance from the Serbian striker and make another crucial save from the French midfielder in the dying moments. The win puts Madrid on a strong tally and the opposition team outside the qualifying spots. After a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the Juventus manager may reflect on a promising opening, with those saves representing a wasted moment around the closing stages; their current situation though presents worrying statistics.

“An Italian team in difficulty is twice as dangerous,” Xabi Alonso had warned beforehand.

Juventus, which hadn’t won since last month, did cause Madrid problems at the beginning and once more near the end. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the counter, especially with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and Vlahović combining, managing a dozen attempts compared to the home side's twenty-seven.

Strong Opening for Visitors

The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. Within three minutes, they believed they were in front, the forward somewhat unfortunate to be penalized for holding Éder Militão. Shortly after, the Madrid defender had to intervene in front of him when the wing-back broke free on the right flank. And three minutes after that, the American midfielder's shot was pushed wide.

Next, from the defender's powerful strike, was a even better stop. Fifteen minutes had gone. However, quickly the visitors' impetus had dissipated as well. Madrid took control. Mostly it was rather mechanical, though, and the three best opportunities came to the French midfielder, who is not Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were headed over, a third deflected wide; another headed opportunity was wasted by Militão.

Turkish Talent Impresses

The best moments came from Arda Güler. The Turk, whose football was the nearest thing there was to smooth attacking, was constantly in the action. His neat stop and turn saw him deliver to the far post for Bellingham.

There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid came to scoring. First his shot was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would make several stops. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso repeatedly until he tumbled to the ground and laid off to Militão to fire over.

Second-Half Drama

The Brazilian threw himself to stop Kalulu at the start of the second period, and then came the customary Courtois rescue when suddenly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been remarkable, with the defender cutting out a pass inside his own penalty box and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his boot right through the middle to past the center circle. Sprinting after it, huge space appearing, the striker outpaced Militão, holding him off and advancing into the area where the keeper saved.

Next the usual pattern occurred, the save made good by the goal that comes after it. A burst from the Brazilian winger created it, creating enough space amid multiple defenders to unleash a driven effort which struck the post. Lurking in that striker’s role was Bellingham. With the deadlock broken, Madrid should have finished it, the Frenchman stopped by the keeper and the Uruguayan seeing his volley deflected by Gatti. Then the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.

It was not the only one: as the match was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the risk of Loïs Openda unmarked in the area. Then in the final seconds the Madrid keeper flew in to stop the midfielder, his job done. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal of the campaign the final of the match.

“It’s a great feeling, a while now since I’ve found the net, a lot of time out and dreaming of that moment, back in the elite competition and against a big team. To score a winner, here at home, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, excellent. To perform was important and to score the winning goal helps the team a lot.”

Regarding his form, he continued: “I didn’t think last year was a failure, still 15 goals, 14 assists, but I know the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a contributor to that, how we underperformed last year, there were nonetheless positive spells but not the level I want to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a new manager, he’s got that shape, how we want to play…. You have to take lessons.”