While it wasn't a match for the ages, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham finally found himself before the home supporters with his arms wide open, basking in the fans' singing of Hey Jude. Following a lengthy layoff and questions about his position, he netted his first goal of the campaign, eventually delivering a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” commented the Belgian goalkeeper.
Key Saves Ensure the Win
The shot-stopper knew perfectly well, having to rescue a clear chance from the Serbian striker and produce another crucial save from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. This result leaves Madrid on a strong tally and Igor Tudor’s team outside the qualifying spots. After a match with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may consider a decent start, with those saves representing a missed chance around the closing stages; their current situation however presents worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in difficulty is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had remarked beforehand.
The Turin-based club, which hadn’t won since last month, did cause Madrid issues at the beginning and again near the conclusion. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the break, particularly with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and the striker linking up, managing 12 shots compared to the home side's 27.
Promising Start for Away Side
They had started well, certainly. Within three minutes, they thought they were in front, Vlahović a little unfortunate to be penalized for holding Éder Militão. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene ahead of him when Kalulu dashed clear on the right flank. Then three minutes after that, the American midfielder's shot was deflected past the post.
Next, from the defender's powerful strike, was a more impressive stop. A quarter of an hour had passed. That said, soon the Italians' momentum had faded as well. Madrid took control. Largely it was all a bit functional, however, and the three best opportunities came to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were headed over, a third deflected wide; an additional chance with the head was wasted by the center-back.
Turkish Talent Impresses
Most creative play came from the young Turk. Güler, whose football was the closest there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His clever control and spin saw him deliver to the back post for Bellingham.
There was not much sign of the French superstar early on, but when he finally emerged it was the closest Madrid got to a goal. Initially his attempt was stopped by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce several stops. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him evade the full-back repeatedly until he tumbled to the turf and laid off to his teammate to blast over.
Late Tension
Militão dived to halt Kalulu at the start of the second period, and then came the customary save from the keeper when suddenly Vlahović was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender cutting out a ball inside his own penalty box and the sphere bouncing from the inside of his foot directly through the middle to beyond the center circle. Sprinting after it, ample room opening, Vlahović outpaced Militão, holding him off and advancing into the box where Courtois made the stop.
Then what tends to happen occurred, the save made good by the score that comes after it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior created it, creating enough space amid four men to release a low, left-footed shot which struck the upright. Lurking in that forward position was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé stopped by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley deflected by the defender. Then Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from Mbappé and Brahim Díaz.
There were more scares: as the match was drawing to a close, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were opened up and at the mercy of the substitute momentarily alone in the area. Then in the dying moments the Madrid keeper dived to stop Thuram, his job complete. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal of the campaign the last of the match.
“I'm overjoyed, a long time now since I’ve found the net, a lot of time out and thinking of that instant, back in the elite competition and against a major opponent. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I felt comfortable, really good. To play well was important and to score the winning goal helps the team a lot.”
As for his form, he added: “I didn’t think last year was a failure, still 15 goals, fourteen setups, but I know the perception was that it was poorer. But I was a part of that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were still positive spells but not the standard I want to play at, not the level like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a new manager, he’s got that system, how we intend to play…. You have to learn from it.”
