While it wasn't a match for the ages, the chanting from the Madrid's home stadium was unmistakable. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the south end with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's singing of Hey Jude. Following a lengthy layoff and uncertainty about his role, he netted his first goal of the campaign, eventually securing a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” commented Thibaut Courtois.
Key Saves Secure the Victory
Courtois knew perfectly well, having to rescue a clear chance from Dušan Vlahović and produce another decisive save from the French midfielder in the dying moments. This result puts Madrid on a strong tally and the opposition team outside the qualifying spots. After a match with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the Juventus manager may consider a decent start, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the closing stages; their current situation however presents concerning reading.
“An Italian team in trouble is twice as dangerous,” the Madrid coach had warned in advance.
The Turin-based club, which were without a victory since September, posed Madrid issues at the start and again near the conclusion. Madrid dominated possession, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the counter, particularly with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and Vlahović linking up, managing 12 shots compared to the hosts' 27.
Strong Opening for Away Side
The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. Within three minutes, they believed they were ahead, the forward a little unfortunate to be called for holding the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to intervene ahead of him when the wing-back dashed clear on the right. Then three minutes after that, the American midfielder's shot was deflected past the post.
What followed, from the defender's drive, was a more impressive save. A quarter of an hour had passed. That said, soon the Italians' momentum had faded as well. Madrid took control. Largely it was all a bit functional, though, and the top chances came to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. A couple were off target, a third one deflected wide; an additional chance with the head was wasted by Militão.
Turkish Talent Impresses
The best moments came from the young Turk. Güler, whose football was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His neat stop and turn saw him clip to the far post for the Englishman.
Little was seen of the French superstar early on, but when he finally emerged it was the closest Madrid got to a goal. Initially his shot was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would produce several stops. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him evade the full-back repeatedly until he went down to the ground and set up his teammate to fire over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian dived to halt the runner at the start of the second half, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when suddenly the attacker was through. The “assist” had been remarkable, with the defender intercepting a pass inside his own area and the ball bouncing from the instep of his boot directly through the center to past the center circle. Sprinting after it, huge space opening, the striker outpaced his marker, holding him off and advancing into the area where the keeper saved.
Then the usual pattern occurred, the stop made good by the goal that follows it. A burst from the Brazilian winger created it, creating enough room amid multiple defenders to unleash a driven effort which hit the post. Lurking in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman stopped by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his volley blocked by Gatti. Then Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.
It was not the only one: as the game was drawing to a close, the defender had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the mercy of the substitute momentarily alone in the area. Then in the final seconds Courtois flew in to stop the midfielder, his work done. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, Bellingham’s first of the campaign the last of the encounter.
“It’s a great feeling, a long time now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and thinking of that instant, back in the elite competition and against a big team. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I felt comfortable, really good. To perform was important and to net the match-winner benefits the team a lot.”
As for his form, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a failure, still 15 goals, 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 positive spells but not the level I aim to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a different coach, he’s got that shape, how we want to play…. You have to take lessons.”
