While it wasn't a match for the ages, the chanting from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the south end with his arms outstretched, listening to the crowd's rendition of Hey Jude. After a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his role, he netted his opening strike of the season, eventually delivering a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” commented Thibaut Courtois.
Decisive Stops Secure the Win
The shot-stopper understood better than anyone, having to save a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and make another crucial stop from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. The win puts Madrid on a strong tally and the opposition team below the cut. After a game with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may reflect on a decent start, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the closing stages; their current situation however makes for concerning reading.
“An Italian team in difficulty is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had remarked beforehand.
Juventus, who were without a victory since last month, posed Madrid issues at the start and again near the conclusion. Madrid commanded possession, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the break, especially with the French defender running and the striker combining, managing 12 shots compared to the home side's 27.
Promising Start for Away Side
The visitors began brightly, certainly. Within three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović somewhat unfortunate to be called for pulling the Brazilian defender. Three minutes later, the Madrid defender had to intervene ahead of him when Kalulu broke free on the right. Then soon after, Weston McKennie's shot was pushed wide.
Next, from Federico Gatti's powerful strike, was a more impressive stop. A quarter of an hour had gone. However, soon the Italians' momentum had dissipated too. Madrid took control. Largely it was all a bit functional, however, and the three best opportunities fell to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who is not Alonso’s striker of choice. A couple were headed over, a third one deflected wide; another headed opportunity was missed by the center-back.
Guler Shines
The best moments came from Arda Güler. Güler, whose football was the closest there was to fluidity, was always involved. His neat stop and turn saw him deliver to the far post for the Englishman.
Little was seen of Kylian Mbappé early on, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid got to a goal. First his shot was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would make 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 halt the runner at the start of the second period, and then came the customary save from the keeper when suddenly the attacker was through. The “assist” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a ball inside his own area and the sphere bouncing from the inside of his foot right through the center to past the halfway line. Racing after it, huge space opening, the striker outpaced Militão, using his strength and advancing into the area where Courtois made the stop.
Then the usual pattern occurred, the save compensated for by the goal that follows it. A flash from the Brazilian winger set up it, creating enough room amid multiple defenders to release a low, left-footed shot which struck the post. Positioned in that striker’s role was Bellingham. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé denied by the keeper and Fede Valverde seeing his volley deflected by the defender. Subsequently Di Gregorio made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.
It was not the only one: as the match was drawing to a close, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the mercy of the substitute unmarked in the penalty box. Then in the dying moments Courtois dived to deny the midfielder, his job complete. For the visitors, there was no way back, the opening goal of the season the last of the match.
“It’s a great feeling, 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 get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I was at ease, really good. To perform was important and to score the winning goal benefits the team a lot.”
As for his performance, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, with fifteen strikes, fourteen setups, 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 nonetheless good moments but not the standard I aim to play at, not the level like the debut season. Now I’ve had my operation, a new manager, he’s got that shape, how we want to play…. You have to take lessons.”
