While it wasn't a match for the ages, the roar from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the south end with his arms outstretched, listening to the crowd's rendition of his anthem. After a shoulder injury and questions about his role, he scored his first goal of the season, ultimately delivering a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” stated Thibaut Courtois.
Key Saves Secure the Win
Courtois understood better than anyone, having to rescue a one-on-one from the Serbian striker and produce another decisive stop from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. The win leaves Madrid on nine points and the opposition team below the cut. At the end of a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the visiting coach may reflect on a decent start, with those opportunities representing a wasted moment around the 85-minute mark; the team's reality though presents worrying statistics.
“An Italian team in trouble is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had remarked in advance.
Juventus, who were without a victory since last month, posed Madrid issues at the start and once more near the end. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the break, particularly with the French defender surging forward and the striker linking up, firing off 12 shots compared to the hosts' twenty-seven.
Promising Start for Away Side
The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. After just three minutes, they thought they were ahead, Vlahović a little unfortunate to be penalized for holding Éder Militão. Shortly after, the Madrid defender had to slide in front of him when Kalulu broke free on the right. And soon after, the American midfielder's shot was deflected wide.
What followed, from Federico Gatti's drive, was a more impressive save. Fifteen minutes had passed. However, soon the Italians' momentum had dissipated as well. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was rather mechanical, though, and the three best opportunities came to the French midfielder, who is not the coach's preferred forward. A couple were headed over, 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 nearest thing there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His neat stop and turn saw him deliver to the far post for Bellingham.
There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid came to a goal. First his shot was denied by the Juventus keeper, who would make eight saves. Next some lovely fast footwork saw him turn the full-back repeatedly until he tumbled to the turf and laid off to Militão to blast over.
Second-Half Drama
Militão dived to halt Kalulu at the outset of the second period, and then came the customary save from the keeper when suddenly Vlahović was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender cutting out a ball inside his own penalty box and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his boot directly through the middle to past the halfway line. Sprinting after it, ample room appearing, the striker raced his marker, using his strength and advancing into the area where the keeper saved.
Then the usual pattern happened, the stop made good by the score that follows it. A flash from Vinícius Júnior created it, creating enough room amid four men to unleash a low, left-footed shot which hit the post. Positioned in that forward position was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman denied by the keeper and Fede Valverde seeing his volley deflected by Gatti. Then Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the game was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were exposed and at the risk of Loïs Openda unmarked in the area. Then in the final seconds the Madrid keeper flew in to stop the midfielder, his work done. For Juve, there was no way back, the opening goal of the campaign the final of the match.
“It’s a great feeling, a long time now since I’ve found the net, a period out and dreaming of that instant, back in the Champions League 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 helps the team a lot.”
As for his form, he added: “I didn’t think last year was a disaster, still fifteen strikes, 14 assists, but I know the perception was that it was poorer. But I was a contributor to that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were still good moments but not the standard I aim to play at, not the caliber like the debut season. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a different coach, he’s got that shape, how we intend to play…. You have to take lessons.”
