While it wasn't a match for the ages, the chanting from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham finally stood before the home supporters with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's rendition of Hey Jude. After a lengthy layoff and questions about his role, he netted his opening strike of the season, ultimately securing a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that made them work hard. “It was a tough battle,” commented Thibaut Courtois.
Decisive Stops Ensure the Victory
The shot-stopper understood better than anyone, having to rescue a clear chance from Dušan Vlahović and make another crucial save from the French midfielder in the final minute. The win puts Madrid on nine points and the opposition team outside the qualifying spots. After a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the Juventus manager may consider a promising opening, with those saves representing a wasted moment around the closing stages; the team's reality though presents worrying statistics.
“An Italian team in difficulty is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had remarked in advance.
Juventus, who hadn’t won since last month, did cause Madrid problems at the beginning and again near the end. Madrid dominated possession, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the break, especially with Pierre Kalulu running and the striker linking up, managing a dozen attempts compared to the hosts' 27.
Promising Start for Visitors
The visitors began brightly, certainly. Within three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović a little unfortunate to be called for holding Éder Militão. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to intervene in front of him when Kalulu dashed clear on the right. Then soon after, the American midfielder's effort was deflected past the post.
Next, from Federico Gatti's drive, was a even better save. A quarter of an hour had gone. However, quickly the visitors' impetus had faded too. Madrid took control. Largely it was rather mechanical, though, and the three best opportunities fell to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. Two were off target, a third one took a deflection; another headed opportunity was wasted by the center-back.
Turkish Talent Impresses
The best moments 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 finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid came to scoring. First his attempt was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce several stops. Next some lovely fast footwork saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso repeatedly until he tumbled to the turf and set up Militão to blast over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian threw himself to halt the runner at the start of the second period, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when unexpectedly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly cutting out a pass inside his own penalty box and the sphere deflecting from the instep of his boot right through the center to beyond the halfway line. Sprinting after it, huge space appearing, the striker raced his marker, holding him off and heading into the box where Courtois saved.
Then what tends to happen happened, the save compensated for by the score that comes after it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior created it, working himself enough space amid multiple defenders to release a low, left-footed shot which hit the post. Positioned in that striker’s role was Bellingham. With the deadlock broken, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman stopped by the keeper and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley blocked by Gatti. Then Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from the forward and Brahim Díaz.
There were more scares: as the game was slipping away, the defender had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the mercy of the substitute unmarked in the penalty box. Finally in the dying moments Courtois dived to deny Thuram, his job done. For Juve, there was no way back, the opening goal of the season 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, returning in the elite competition and against a major opponent. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I was at ease, really good. To perform was crucial and to score the winning goal benefits the team a lot.”
As for his form, he added: “I didn’t think last year was a disaster, with 15 goals, 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 want to play at, not the level like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a different coach, he’s got that shape, how we intend to play…. You have to take lessons.”
