While it wasn't a classic encounter, the chanting from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again found himself before the home supporters with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's rendition of his anthem. Following a lengthy layoff and uncertainty about his role, he scored his opening strike of the season, eventually 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.
Key Saves Ensure the Win
The shot-stopper knew perfectly well, having to save a clear chance from the Serbian striker and make another decisive save from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. This result puts 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 saves representing a wasted moment around the 85-minute mark; the team's reality though makes for worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in difficulty is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had remarked in advance.
The Turin-based club, who hadn’t won since September, posed Madrid problems 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 running and the striker linking up, managing a dozen attempts compared to the hosts' 27.
Strong Opening for Visitors
The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. After just three minutes, they thought they were ahead, the forward somewhat unlucky to be penalized for pulling Éder Militão. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to intervene ahead of him when the wing-back broke free on the right. And three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's shot was deflected wide.
Next, from the defender's drive, was a even better save. A quarter of an hour had gone. That said, soon the visitors' impetus had faded too. Madrid took control. Mostly it was rather mechanical, however, and the three best opportunities came to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were off target, a third one deflected wide; another chance with the head was wasted by the center-back.
Guler Shines
The best moments came from Arda Güler. Güler, whose play was the closest there was to fluidity, was always involved. His neat stop and turn saw him deliver to the back post for the Englishman.
There was not much sign of the French superstar early on, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid came to a goal. First his shot was stopped by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce eight saves. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him evade the full-back twice until he went down to the ground and laid off to Militão to fire over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian threw himself to halt the runner at the start of the second half, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when suddenly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a ball inside his own penalty box and the ball bouncing from the instep of his foot directly through the middle to beyond the center circle. Racing after it, huge space opening, the striker raced his marker, holding him off and heading into the box where the keeper saved.
Next the usual pattern occurred, the save made good 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 low, left-footed shot which hit the upright. Positioned in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, the Frenchman stopped by the keeper and the Uruguayan seeing his volley blocked by Gatti. Subsequently the Juventus goalkeeper made a superb quick saves from the forward and the attacking midfielder.
It was not the only one: as the match was drawing to a close, the defender had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the mercy of Loïs Openda unmarked in the area. Finally in the dying moments Courtois flew in to deny the midfielder, his work complete. For the visitors, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal 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 dreaming of that instant, returning in the elite competition and against a big team. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I was at ease, excellent. To perform was crucial and to net the match-winner benefits the team greatly.”
Regarding his form, he continued: “I didn’t think last year was a failure, still fifteen strikes, 14 assists, but I know 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 still good moments but not the level I want to play at, not the level like the debut season. 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.”
