While it wasn't a match for the ages, the chanting from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham finally stood before the home supporters 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 Italian opponent that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” commented the Belgian goalkeeper.
Decisive Stops Secure the Victory
The shot-stopper knew perfectly well, having to rescue a clear chance from Dušan Vlahović and make another decisive stop from the French midfielder in the dying moments. This result leaves Madrid on nine points and Igor Tudor’s team below the cut. At the end of a match with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may reflect on a promising opening, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the closing stages; the team's reality though makes for worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in trouble is twice as dangerous,” the Madrid coach had remarked in advance.
Juventus, which hadn’t won since September, did cause Madrid problems at the start and again near the end. Madrid commanded the ball, 66%-34%, but Juventus were dangerous on the break, especially with the French defender running and the striker combining, managing 12 shots compared to the hosts' twenty-seven.
Promising Start for Away Side
They had started well, certainly. Within three minutes, they thought they were ahead, the forward somewhat unlucky to be called for holding Éder Militão. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to slide ahead of Vlahović when the wing-back dashed clear on the right. Then soon after, Weston McKennie's shot was deflected wide.
What followed, from the defender's drive, was a more impressive save. A quarter of an hour had gone. However, quickly the Italians' momentum had dissipated as well. Madrid took control. Mostly it was rather mechanical, however, and the three best opportunities came to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who is not Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were headed over, a third one took a deflection; an additional chance with the head was missed by the center-back.
Turkish Talent Impresses
The best moments came from Arda Güler. The Turk, whose play was the closest there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His clever control and spin saw him deliver to the far post for the Englishman.
There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé early on, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid got to scoring. Initially his shot was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would produce several stops. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso twice until he went down to the turf and set up his teammate to fire over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian threw himself to stop Kalulu at the start of the second half, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when suddenly the attacker was away. The “assist” had been remarkable, with the defender cutting out a ball inside his own penalty box and the ball bouncing from the inside of his boot right through the center to past the halfway line. Racing after it, huge space appearing, Vlahović raced his marker, holding him off and heading into the box where the keeper saved.
Next what tends to happen happened, the save compensated for by the score that comes after it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior set up it, working himself enough space amid multiple defenders to unleash a driven effort which struck the upright. Lurking in that forward position was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, the Frenchman stopped by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley blocked by Gatti. Then the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from the forward and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the game was drawing to a close, the defender had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were exposed and at the mercy of the substitute momentarily alone in the penalty box. Then in the dying moments Courtois dived to stop Thuram, his job complete. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, Bellingham’s first of the season the final of the match.
“I'm overjoyed, a long time now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and thinking of that moment, back in the Champions League and against a big team. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, excellent. To play well was crucial and to net the match-winner benefits the team a lot.”
As for his form, he continued: “I didn’t think last year was a failure, with 15 goals, 14 assists, but I understand the general feeling was that it was poorer. But I was a contributor to that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were nonetheless positive spells but not the level I aim to play at, not the level like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a new manager, he’s got that system, how we intend to play…. You have to learn from it.”
