While it wasn't a classic encounter, the roar from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again found himself before the south end with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's rendition of Hey Jude. After a shoulder injury and questions about his position, he netted his opening strike of the season, eventually securing a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that made them work hard. “We had to sweat for it,” 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 produce another decisive save from the French midfielder in the dying moments. This result puts Madrid on nine points and Igor Tudor’s team outside the qualifying spots. At the end of a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the visiting coach may consider a decent start, with those saves representing a missed chance around the closing stages; the team's reality however makes for concerning reading.
“An Italian team in difficulty is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had remarked in advance.
The Turin-based club, which were without a victory since last month, did cause Madrid issues at the beginning and again near the end. Madrid dominated possession, with a significant advantage, but Juventus were dangerous on the break, particularly with Pierre Kalulu running and Vlahović linking up, firing off a dozen attempts compared to the hosts' 27.
Promising Start for Visitors
The visitors began brightly, certainly. After just three minutes, they thought they were in front, the forward somewhat unfortunate to be called for pulling the Brazilian defender. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene in front of him when the wing-back dashed clear on the right flank. And soon after, the American midfielder's shot was pushed past the post.
What followed, from the defender's drive, was a even better stop. A quarter of an hour had passed. However, soon the visitors' impetus had dissipated too. Madrid took control. Largely it was rather mechanical, though, and the three best opportunities came to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. A couple were headed over, a third deflected wide; another chance with the head was wasted by Militão.
Guler Shines
Most creative play came from the young Turk. The Turk, whose play was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was always involved. His neat stop and turn saw him clip to the back post for Bellingham.
There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid came to scoring. Initially his shot was denied by the Juventus keeper, who would make eight saves. Next some lovely fast footwork saw him evade the full-back twice until he tumbled to the ground and laid off to Militão to blast over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian threw himself to halt Kalulu at the start of the second period, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when suddenly Vlahović was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a ball inside his own area and the ball deflecting from the instep of his foot right through the center to past the halfway line. Racing after it, ample room opening, the striker outpaced his marker, using his strength and heading into the area where the keeper made the stop.
Next what tends to happen occurred, the save made good by the score that follows it. A flash from Vinícius Júnior set up it, working himself enough room amid four men to release a low, left-footed shot which struck the post. Positioned in that forward position was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, the Frenchman stopped by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley deflected by Gatti. Subsequently Di Gregorio made a brilliant double stop from the forward and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the match was drawing to a close, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were opened up and at the risk of Loïs Openda unmarked in the area. Finally in the dying moments Courtois dived to deny Thuram, his work complete. For the visitors, 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 period out and thinking of that moment, returning in the elite competition and against a big team. To score a winner, here at home, it’s incredible. I felt comfortable, excellent. To play well was important and to score the winning goal benefits the team greatly.”
Regarding his performance, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a failure, still fifteen strikes, fourteen setups, but I understand the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a contributor to that, how we underperformed 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 intend to play…. You have to take lessons.”
