It may not have been a classic encounter, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was unmistakable. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham once again found himself before the home supporters with his arms outstretched, listening to the crowd's rendition of Hey Jude. After a shoulder injury and questions about his position, he netted his opening strike of the campaign, ultimately securing a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” commented Thibaut Courtois.
Key Saves Secure the Win
The shot-stopper knew better than anyone, having to rescue a clear chance from the Serbian striker and make another crucial save from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. This result puts Madrid on nine points and the opposition team below the cut. After a match with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may reflect on a promising opening, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the 85-minute mark; the team's reality though presents worrying statistics.
“An Italian team in difficulty is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had warned beforehand.
The Turin-based club, which were without a victory since September, did cause Madrid problems at the start and once more near the conclusion. Madrid dominated possession, 66%-34%, but Juventus threatened on the counter, especially with the French defender surging forward and the striker combining, firing off a dozen attempts compared to the home side's 27.
Promising Start for Visitors
The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. After just three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović somewhat unlucky to be penalized for holding Éder Militão. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to intervene ahead of Vlahović when the wing-back dashed clear on the right flank. And soon after, the American midfielder's shot was deflected wide.
Next, from the defender's drive, was a even better save. A quarter of an hour had passed. However, quickly the visitors' impetus had dissipated too. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was rather mechanical, though, and the top chances came to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. A couple were off target, a third one deflected wide; another headed opportunity was wasted by Militão.
Guler Shines
Most creative play came from Arda Güler. The Turk, whose play was the closest 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 early on, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid got to scoring. Initially his shot was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would make eight saves. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him turn the full-back twice until he went down to the ground and set up his teammate to blast over.
Second-Half Drama
The Brazilian dived to stop the runner at the start of the second period, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when suddenly the attacker was through. The “assist” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a ball inside his own penalty box and the sphere bouncing from the inside of his foot right through the center to past the halfway line. Racing after it, huge space appearing, the striker raced Militão, holding him off and heading into the area where the keeper made the stop.
Then what tends to happen occurred, the save compensated for by the score that follows it. A flash from the Brazilian winger set up it, creating enough room amid four men to release a driven effort which hit the upright. Positioned in that striker’s role was Bellingham. With the deadlock broken, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé denied by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley deflected by Gatti. Then the Juventus goalkeeper made a superb quick saves from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the game was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were opened up and at the risk of the substitute unmarked in the penalty box. Then in the dying moments the Madrid keeper flew in to deny the midfielder, his work complete. For Juve, there was no way back, the opening goal of the season the final of the match.
“It’s a great feeling, a while now since I’ve scored, a period out and dreaming of that instant, back in the elite competition and against a major opponent. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I was at ease, excellent. To perform was crucial and to score the winning goal benefits the team a lot.”
Regarding his form, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a failure, still fifteen strikes, fourteen setups, but I know the perception was that it was poorer. But I was a contributor to that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were nonetheless positive spells but not the level I want to play at, not the level like the debut season. Now I’ve had my operation, a different coach, he’s got that system, how we intend to play…. You have to learn from it.”
