It may not have been a match for the ages, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham finally found himself before the south end with his arms outstretched, listening to the crowd's singing of his anthem. After a lengthy layoff and uncertainty about his position, he scored his first goal of the campaign, ultimately delivering a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” stated the Belgian goalkeeper.
Key Saves Secure the Victory
The shot-stopper knew better than anyone, having to save a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and make another decisive stop from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. The win leaves Madrid on a strong tally and the opposition team outside the qualifying spots. After a game with more shots than fluid football, the visiting coach may reflect on a promising opening, with those opportunities representing a wasted moment around the closing stages; their current situation though presents concerning reading.
“A side from Italy in trouble is twice as dangerous,” the Madrid coach had remarked in advance.
The Turin-based club, which were without a victory since last month, did cause Madrid problems at the start and once more near the conclusion. Madrid commanded the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the break, especially with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and Vlahović combining, managing a dozen attempts compared to the home side's 27.
Promising Start for Away Side
They had started well, without a doubt. After just three minutes, they thought they were ahead, the forward a little unlucky to be penalized for holding Éder Militão. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to intervene ahead of him when Kalulu broke free on the right flank. Then three minutes after that, the American midfielder's shot was deflected wide.
What followed, from the defender's powerful strike, was a more impressive save. A quarter of an hour had passed. However, quickly the visitors' impetus had dissipated too. Madrid took control. Mostly it was all a bit functional, however, and the three best opportunities came to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. Two were off target, a third deflected wide; an additional headed opportunity was wasted by the center-back.
Guler Shines
Most creative play were provided by the young Turk. Güler, whose play was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was always involved. His clever control and spin saw him deliver to the back post for the Englishman.
There was not much sign of the French superstar early on, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid got to scoring. Initially his shot was denied by the Juventus keeper, who would produce several stops. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him evade the full-back twice until he tumbled to the ground and laid off to Militão to fire over.
Late Tension
Militão threw himself to stop Kalulu at the outset of the second period, and then came the customary Courtois rescue when unexpectedly the attacker was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender cutting out a pass inside his own area and the ball deflecting from the inside of his boot right through the middle to beyond the halfway line. Sprinting after it, huge space appearing, Vlahović outpaced his marker, holding him off and advancing into the area where Courtois made the stop.
Next the usual pattern happened, the stop made good by the score that follows it. A burst from the Brazilian winger set up it, working himself enough space amid four men to unleash a driven effort which hit the post. Lurking in that striker’s role was Bellingham. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé stopped by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley deflected by the defender. Then the Juventus goalkeeper made a superb quick saves from Mbappé and Brahim Díaz.
There were more scares: as the match was drawing to a close, 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 work complete. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, Bellingham’s first of the season the last of the encounter.
“I'm overjoyed, a while now since I’ve scored, a period out and dreaming of that instant, returning in the elite competition and against a big team. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I felt comfortable, really good. To perform was important and to score the winning goal helps the team greatly.”
Regarding his form, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, with 15 goals, fourteen setups, but I know the perception was that it was worse. But I was a part of that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were nonetheless good moments but not the standard I aim to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a different coach, he’s got that system, how we intend to play…. You have to take lessons.”
