It may not have been a match for the ages, the chanting from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham finally found himself before the south end with his arms wide open, listening to the crowd's singing of his anthem. After a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his role, he scored his opening strike of the campaign, eventually securing a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” commented Thibaut Courtois.
Key Saves Ensure the Win
The shot-stopper knew better than anyone, having to save a one-on-one from the Serbian striker and produce another decisive stop from the French midfielder in the final minute. The win puts Madrid on nine points and Igor Tudor’s team outside the qualifying spots. At the end of a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the visiting coach may consider a promising opening, with those opportunities representing a wasted moment around the 85-minute mark; their current situation though presents concerning reading.
“A side from Italy in trouble is twice as dangerous,” Xabi Alonso had warned in advance.
The Turin-based club, which hadn’t won since September, posed Madrid problems at the beginning and once more near the conclusion. Madrid dominated possession, 66%-34%, but Juventus were dangerous on the counter, especially with Pierre Kalulu running and the striker combining, firing off 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Strong Opening for Away Side
The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. Within three minutes, they thought they were ahead, Vlahović a little unlucky to be penalized for pulling the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, the Madrid defender had to intervene ahead of Vlahović when the wing-back dashed clear on the right. Then three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's shot was pushed wide.
Next, from Federico Gatti's powerful strike, was a even better save. Fifteen minutes had gone. 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. A couple were headed over, a third deflected wide; another chance with the head was wasted by the center-back.
Guler Shines
The best moments were provided by Arda Güler. Güler, whose play was the closest there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His neat stop and turn saw him deliver to the back post for Bellingham.
There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he finally emerged it was the closest Madrid came to scoring. Initially his shot was denied by the Juventus keeper, who would produce several stops. Next some exquisite dribbling saw him evade Andrea Cambiaso twice until he tumbled to the ground and set up Militão to fire over.
Late Tension
Militão dived to halt the runner at the outset of the second period, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when unexpectedly Vlahović was away. The “assist” had been quite something, with the defender cutting out a pass inside his own penalty box and the ball deflecting from the inside of his boot directly through the middle to beyond the center circle. Racing after it, ample room opening, Vlahović outpaced his marker, using his strength and heading into the box where Courtois saved.
Next what tends to happen happened, the save made good by the goal that comes after it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior created it, working himself enough space amid four men to release a low, left-footed shot which hit the post. Lurking in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, the Frenchman stopped by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his volley deflected by Gatti. Subsequently Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from the forward and Brahim Díaz.
There were more scares: as the match was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were opened up and at the mercy of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the penalty box. Finally in the final seconds Courtois flew in to deny the midfielder, his work done. For the visitors, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal of the campaign the last of the encounter.
“I'm overjoyed, a while now since I’ve found the net, a lot of time out and thinking of that moment, back in the elite competition and against a major opponent. To get the decisive goal, here at home, it’s incredible. I was at ease, excellent. To play well was important and to net the match-winner helps the team a lot.”
As for his performance, he added: “I didn’t think last year was a failure, with 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 still positive spells but not the level I want to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a different coach, he’s got that shape, how we want to play…. You have to learn from it.”
