It may not have been a match for the ages, the chanting from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the home supporters with his arms wide open, listening to the crowd's singing of his anthem. Following a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his position, he netted his opening strike of the campaign, 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 Ensure the Win
The shot-stopper knew better than anyone, having to rescue a one-on-one from the Serbian striker and make another decisive save from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. This result leaves Madrid on nine points and the opposition team below the cut. After a match with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the visiting coach may consider a promising opening, with those saves representing a wasted moment around the 85-minute mark; their current situation though presents worrying statistics.
“An Italian team in trouble is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had warned in advance.
The Turin-based club, who hadn’t won since last month, did cause Madrid issues at the start and once more near the end. Madrid commanded the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the counter, particularly with Pierre Kalulu running and Vlahović linking up, firing off 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Promising Start for Away Side
They had started well, without a doubt. After just three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović somewhat unlucky to be penalized for holding the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, the Madrid defender had to intervene ahead of Vlahović when the wing-back broke free on the right. Then three minutes after that, the American midfielder's shot was pushed wide.
Next, from Federico Gatti's drive, was a even better stop. A quarter of an hour had passed. However, soon the Italians' momentum had faded as well. Madrid assumed command. 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 deflected wide; an additional chance with the head was missed by Militão.
Turkish Talent Impresses
Most creative play were provided by Arda Güler. The Turk, whose play was the closest there was to smooth attacking, was always involved. 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 finally emerged it was the closest Madrid came to scoring. Initially his attempt was stopped by Michele Di Gregorio, who would make eight saves. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him evade Andrea Cambiaso twice until he tumbled to the turf and laid off to his teammate to fire over.
Second-Half Drama
Militão dived to stop Kalulu at the start of the second period, and then came the customary Courtois rescue when unexpectedly Vlahović was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been remarkable, with Lloyd Kelly cutting out a ball inside his own area and the sphere bouncing from the inside of his boot right through the center to beyond the center circle. Sprinting after it, ample room appearing, the striker raced Militão, using his strength and heading into the box where Courtois made the stop.
Then the usual pattern happened, the stop made good by the score that follows it. A burst from the Brazilian winger created it, creating enough space amid multiple defenders to release a low, left-footed shot which hit the upright. Positioned in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, Mbappé denied by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his volley deflected by the defender. Then the Juventus goalkeeper made a superb quick saves from the forward and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the game was slipping away, the defender had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were opened up and at the mercy of the substitute unmarked in the area. Then in the dying moments Courtois dived to deny Thuram, his work complete. For Juve, there was no way back, the opening goal of the season the final of the match.
“I'm overjoyed, a long time now since I’ve found the net, a lot of time out and dreaming of that moment, returning in the elite competition and against a major opponent. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I was at ease, really good. To play well was important and to score the winning goal helps the team greatly.”
As for his performance, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, with fifteen strikes, fourteen setups, but I know the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a part of that, how we underperformed last year, there were nonetheless good moments but not the level I want to play at, not the level like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a new manager, he’s got that shape, how we want to play…. You have to learn from it.”