It may not have been a match for the ages, the chanting from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham finally found himself before the home supporters with his arms outstretched, basking in the fans' singing of Hey Jude. After a lengthy layoff and uncertainty about his role, he netted his opening strike of the season, eventually securing a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” stated Thibaut Courtois.
Decisive Stops Secure the Victory
Courtois understood perfectly well, having to save a clear chance from Dušan Vlahović and make another decisive stop from the French midfielder in the dying moments. This result leaves Madrid on nine points and the opposition team outside the qualifying spots. After a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the visiting coach may reflect on a decent start, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the 85-minute mark; their current situation though makes for worrying statistics.
“An Italian team in difficulty is twice as dangerous,” Xabi Alonso had remarked in advance.
Juventus, which were without a victory since September, posed Madrid issues at the beginning and once more near the end. Madrid commanded the ball, 66%-34%, but Juventus threatened on the break, especially with the French defender surging forward and Vlahović linking up, firing off a dozen attempts compared to the hosts' twenty-seven.
Strong Opening for Away Side
The visitors began brightly, certainly. After just three minutes, they thought they were in front, Vlahović a little unfortunate to be penalized for pulling the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to slide in front of Vlahović when Kalulu broke free on the right. And soon after, Weston McKennie's shot was deflected wide.
What followed, from Federico Gatti's powerful strike, was a more impressive save. Fifteen minutes had passed. However, soon the Italians' momentum had dissipated as well. Madrid took control. Largely it was rather mechanical, however, and the top chances came to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. Two were off target, a third one deflected wide; an additional chance with the head was missed by the center-back.
Guler Shines
Most creative play came from Arda Güler. The Turk, whose play was the closest there was to smooth attacking, was always involved. His clever control and spin saw him deliver to the back post for the Englishman.
There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé early on, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid got to scoring. Initially his shot was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce eight saves. Next some exquisite dribbling saw him evade Andrea Cambiaso repeatedly until he went down to the turf and laid off to his teammate to fire over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian threw himself to stop Kalulu at the start of the second period, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when unexpectedly Vlahović was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a ball inside his own area and the sphere bouncing from the inside of his foot directly through the middle to past the center circle. Sprinting after it, huge space opening, Vlahović raced Militão, holding him off and heading into the area where the keeper made the stop.
Then the usual pattern happened, the stop made good by the score that follows it. A burst from the Brazilian winger set up it, creating enough space amid multiple defenders to release a low, left-footed shot which hit the post. Lurking in that forward position was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé denied by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his volley deflected by Gatti. Then Di Gregorio made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and Brahim Díaz.
There were more scares: as the game was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the mercy of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the area. Then in the dying moments Courtois dived to deny the midfielder, his job complete. For Juve, there was no way back, Bellingham’s first of the season the final of the match.
“I'm overjoyed, a long time now since I’ve scored, a period out and thinking of that instant, returning 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 play well was crucial and to net the match-winner helps the team greatly.”
As for his performance, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a failure, still fifteen strikes, 14 assists, 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 level 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.”
