While it wasn't a match for the ages, the chanting from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the south end with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's rendition of Hey Jude. After a shoulder injury and questions about his role, he netted his opening strike of the season, ultimately delivering a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” stated Thibaut Courtois.
Decisive Stops Ensure the Victory
Courtois understood perfectly well, having to rescue a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and produce another crucial save from the French midfielder in the final minute. This result puts Madrid on nine points and the opposition team below the cut. At the end of a game with more shots than fluid football, the visiting coach may consider a decent start, with those saves representing a missed chance around the 85-minute mark; the team's reality however presents concerning reading.
“An Italian team in trouble is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had warned beforehand.
Juventus, who hadn’t won since September, did cause Madrid problems at the start and again near the end. Madrid dominated possession, 66%-34%, but Juventus threatened on the counter, particularly with Pierre Kalulu running and the striker linking up, managing a dozen attempts compared to the hosts' 27.
Promising Start for Away Side
The visitors began brightly, certainly. After just three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović somewhat unfortunate to be called for pulling the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, the Madrid defender had to slide ahead of him when the wing-back dashed clear on the right flank. Then soon after, the American midfielder's shot was pushed wide.
Next, from the defender's drive, was a even better save. A quarter of an hour had gone. However, quickly the visitors' impetus had dissipated too. Madrid took control. Mostly it was all a bit functional, though, and the top chances came to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were headed over, a third one took a deflection; an additional headed opportunity was missed by the center-back.
Turkish Talent Impresses
Most creative play came from the young Turk. The Turk, whose football was the closest there was to smooth attacking, was always involved. His clever control and spin saw him clip to the far post for Bellingham.
Little was seen of the French superstar early on, but when he did appear it was the closest Madrid got to scoring. Initially his attempt was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would produce eight saves. Next some lovely fast footwork saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso twice until he tumbled to the ground and set up Militão to blast over.
Second-Half Drama
The Brazilian threw himself to halt the runner at the outset of the second period, and then came the customary Courtois rescue when unexpectedly the attacker was away. The “assist” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a pass inside his own penalty box and the ball bouncing from the instep of his foot right through the center to past the center circle. Racing after it, huge space opening, Vlahović raced his marker, holding him off and advancing into the box where Courtois made the stop.
Then what tends to happen happened, the save made good by the score that follows it. A burst from the Brazilian winger set up it, creating enough space amid multiple defenders to unleash a driven effort which hit the post. Lurking in that striker’s role was Bellingham. The breakthrough found, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman denied by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his volley blocked by the defender. Then Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from the forward and the attacking midfielder.
It was not the only one: as the match was drawing to a close, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were exposed and at the risk of the substitute momentarily alone in the penalty box. Then in the dying moments the Madrid keeper flew in to stop Thuram, his work complete. For Juve, there was no way back, Bellingham’s first of the campaign the final of the match.
“I'm overjoyed, a long time now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and dreaming of that instant, back in the Champions League and against a big team. To score a winner, here at home, it’s unbelievable. I was at ease, really good. To play well was important and to score the winning goal benefits the team greatly.”
Regarding his performance, he continued: “I didn’t think last year was a disaster, still fifteen strikes, fourteen setups, but I understand the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a contributor to that, how we underperformed last year, there were nonetheless good moments but not the level I aim to play at, not the level 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.”
