It may not have been a match for the ages, the chanting from the Madrid's home stadium was unmistakable. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham finally found himself before the home supporters with his arms outstretched, basking in the crowd's rendition of Hey Jude. Following a lengthy layoff and questions about his position, he scored his opening strike of the campaign, eventually 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 Secure the Win
Courtois knew better than anyone, having to rescue a clear chance from Dušan Vlahović and produce another crucial save from the French midfielder in the dying moments. This result leaves Madrid on nine points and the opposition team below the cut. At the end of a match with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may consider a promising opening, with those opportunities representing a wasted moment around the closing stages; the team's reality though makes for worrying statistics.
“An Italian team in trouble is twice as dangerous,” Xabi Alonso had remarked beforehand.
Juventus, who hadn’t won since September, did cause Madrid issues at the start and again near the end. Madrid commanded the ball, 66%-34%, but Juventus were dangerous on the counter, particularly with the French defender running and the striker combining, firing off 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Strong Opening for Away Side
They had started well, certainly. After just three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović somewhat unlucky to be called for holding Éder Militão. Three minutes later, the Madrid defender had to slide ahead of Vlahović when the wing-back dashed clear on the right flank. Then three minutes after that, the American midfielder's shot was pushed past the post.
What followed, from Federico Gatti's drive, was a even better save. Fifteen minutes had passed. That said, quickly the Italians' momentum had dissipated too. Madrid took control. Largely it was rather mechanical, however, and the three best opportunities fell to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who is not the coach's preferred forward. Two were headed over, a third took a deflection; another chance with the head was missed by the center-back.
Turkish Talent Impresses
Most creative play came from Arda Güler. Güler, whose play was the nearest thing there was to smooth attacking, 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 yet, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid came to scoring. Initially his attempt was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce eight saves. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him turn the full-back repeatedly until he went down to the turf and set up his teammate to fire over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian dived to halt Kalulu at the start of the second half, and then came the customary Courtois rescue when unexpectedly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a pass inside his own area and the ball bouncing from the instep of his boot right through the center to past the center circle. Racing after it, ample room appearing, the striker raced Militão, using his strength and heading into the area where Courtois saved.
Next what tends to happen happened, the stop made good by the score that comes after it. A burst from the Brazilian winger set up it, creating enough room amid four men to release a low, left-footed shot which hit the upright. Lurking in that forward position was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman stopped by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley blocked by Gatti. Subsequently the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and Brahim Díaz.
There were more scares: as the game was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were exposed and at the risk of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the area. Then in the final seconds Courtois dived to deny the midfielder, his job complete. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal of the season the final of the match.
“It’s a great feeling, a long time now since I’ve found the net, a lot of time out and dreaming of that moment, returning in the Champions League and against a big team. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, really good. To play well was crucial and to net the match-winner helps the team greatly.”
Regarding his performance, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a failure, still 15 goals, 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 good moments but not the standard 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 learn from it.”
