While it wasn't a match for the ages, the roar from the Madrid's home stadium was unmistakable. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again found himself before the south end with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's singing of Hey Jude. Following a shoulder injury and questions about his position, he netted his first goal of the season, eventually securing a 1-0 victory 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 Win
The shot-stopper knew better than anyone, having to save a one-on-one from the Serbian striker and make another crucial save from the French midfielder in the final minute. The win leaves Madrid on nine points and the opposition team outside the qualifying spots. After a match with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the visiting coach may consider a promising opening, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the 85-minute mark; the team's reality though presents concerning reading.
“A side from Italy in difficulty is twice as dangerous,” the Madrid coach had warned in advance.
Juventus, which were without a victory since last month, posed Madrid problems at the beginning and once more near the conclusion. Madrid commanded possession, 66%-34%, but Juventus threatened on the break, particularly with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and the striker linking up, firing off 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Promising Start for Away Side
The visitors began brightly, certainly. After just three minutes, they thought they were in front, Vlahović somewhat unlucky to be penalized for pulling the Brazilian defender. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene ahead of him when the wing-back broke free on the right. Then three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's shot was deflected wide.
What followed, from Federico Gatti's powerful strike, was a more impressive stop. A quarter of an hour had passed. That said, quickly the visitors' impetus had dissipated too. Madrid took control. Mostly it was all a bit functional, however, and the top chances came to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. A couple were off target, a third took a deflection; an additional chance with the head was missed by Militão.
Turkish Talent Impresses
Most creative play came from the young Turk. The Turk, whose football was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was always involved. 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 closest Madrid came to scoring. First his shot was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce eight saves. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him evade Andrea Cambiaso twice until he tumbled to the ground and laid off to his teammate to blast over.
Late Tension
Militão threw himself to stop the runner at the outset of the second period, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when suddenly the attacker was through. The “assist” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a pass inside his own penalty box and the ball deflecting from the inside of his foot directly through the middle to past the center circle. Sprinting after it, huge space appearing, Vlahović raced his marker, using his strength and advancing into the box where the keeper saved.
Then what tends to happen occurred, the stop made good by the goal that comes after it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior set up it, creating enough space amid multiple defenders to unleash a low, left-footed shot which struck the upright. Positioned in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, the Frenchman denied by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley blocked by the defender. Subsequently the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.
It was not the only one: as the match was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the risk of the substitute unmarked in the penalty box. Then in the dying moments Courtois dived to deny Thuram, his work complete. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal of the campaign the final of the encounter.
“It’s a great feeling, a long time now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and dreaming of that moment, returning in the Champions League and against a major opponent. To score a winner, here at home, it’s unbelievable. I was at ease, really good. To play well was crucial and to net the match-winner helps the team greatly.”
Regarding his form, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a failure, with fifteen strikes, 14 assists, but I understand the perception was that it was poorer. But I was a contributor to that, how we underperformed last year, there were nonetheless good moments but not the standard I want to play at, not the level 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 learn from it.”
