It may not have been a classic encounter, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was unmistakable. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham finally stood before the south end with his arms outstretched, basking in the fans' rendition of Hey Jude. Following a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his role, he scored his first goal of the season, ultimately securing a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that made them work hard. “It was a tough battle,” stated Thibaut Courtois.
Decisive Stops Ensure the Win
The shot-stopper understood perfectly well, having to save a clear chance from the Serbian striker and make another decisive save from the French midfielder in the dying moments. The win leaves Madrid on nine points and Igor Tudor’s team outside the qualifying spots. After a game with more shots than fluid football, the visiting coach may consider a promising opening, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the closing stages; their current situation though presents worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in trouble is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had remarked beforehand.
The Turin-based club, which hadn’t won since September, posed Madrid issues at the beginning and once more near the conclusion. Madrid commanded the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus were dangerous on the counter, particularly with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and Vlahović combining, firing off 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Strong Opening for Visitors
They had started well, certainly. Within 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 in front of him when the wing-back dashed clear on the right flank. And 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 stop. A quarter of an hour had passed. That said, quickly the Italians' momentum had dissipated too. Madrid assumed command. Mostly it was all a bit functional, however, and the top chances fell to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were headed over, a third one deflected wide; an additional headed opportunity was wasted by the center-back.
Turkish Talent Impresses
The best moments came from the young Turk. The Turk, 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 Bellingham.
There was not much sign of the French superstar early on, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid came to a goal. First his attempt was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce eight saves. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him evade Andrea Cambiaso repeatedly until he went down to the turf and set up his teammate to blast over.
Second-Half Drama
Militão threw himself to halt the runner at the outset of the second half, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when unexpectedly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender cutting out a ball inside his own penalty box and the ball deflecting from the instep of his foot directly through the center to beyond the halfway line. Racing after it, ample room appearing, Vlahović raced Militão, using his strength and heading into the box where the keeper made the stop.
Then the usual pattern happened, the save made good by the score that comes after it. A flash from the Brazilian winger set up it, creating enough room amid multiple defenders to unleash a driven effort which hit the post. Positioned in that forward position was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé stopped by the keeper and the Uruguayan seeing his volley blocked by the defender. Subsequently the Juventus goalkeeper made a superb quick saves from Mbappé and Brahim Díaz.
There were more scares: as the match was drawing to a close, the defender had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the risk of Loïs Openda unmarked in the penalty box. Finally in the dying moments the Madrid keeper dived to deny the midfielder, his work done. For the visitors, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal of the season the final of the encounter.
“It’s a great feeling, a long time now since I’ve found the net, a period out and thinking of that instant, returning in the elite competition and against a major opponent. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, excellent. To play well was important and to score the winning goal benefits the team greatly.”
As for his performance, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, with 15 goals, 14 assists, but I know the perception was that it was poorer. But I was a contributor to that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were nonetheless good moments but not the standard I want to play at, not the level like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a new manager, he’s got that shape, how we intend to play…. You have to take lessons.”
