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 south end with his arms wide open, listening to the fans' rendition of Hey Jude. After a lengthy layoff and questions about his role, he scored his opening strike of the season, eventually delivering a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that made them work hard. “It was a tough battle,” commented the Belgian goalkeeper.
Decisive Stops Ensure the Win
The shot-stopper understood perfectly well, having to save a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and produce another crucial save from the French midfielder in the final minute. This result puts Madrid on nine points and Igor Tudor’s team below the cut. After a game with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may reflect on a decent start, with those opportunities representing a wasted moment around the closing stages; their current situation however makes for concerning reading.
“An Italian team in difficulty is twice as dangerous,” the Madrid coach had remarked beforehand.
Juventus, which were without a victory since last month, did cause Madrid problems at the beginning and once more near the conclusion. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the counter, particularly with the French defender surging forward and Vlahović linking up, managing 12 shots compared to the hosts' 27.
Promising Start for Visitors
The visitors began brightly, certainly. After just three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović a little unfortunate to be called for holding Éder Militão. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to slide ahead of him when Kalulu broke free on the right. And soon after, the American midfielder's shot was pushed wide.
What followed, from the defender's drive, was a even better save. Fifteen minutes had passed. That said, soon the visitors' impetus had faded too. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was rather mechanical, though, and the three best opportunities fell to the French midfielder, who is not the coach's preferred forward. Two were headed over, a third deflected wide; an additional chance with the head was missed by the center-back.
Guler Shines
Most creative play were provided by the young Turk. Güler, whose football was the nearest thing there was to smooth attacking, was always involved. His neat stop and turn saw him clip to the back post for the Englishman.
Little was seen of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid got to a goal. Initially his attempt was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce eight saves. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him evade the full-back repeatedly until he went down to the turf and set up Militão to blast over.
Late Tension
Militão dived to stop the runner at the outset of the second period, and then came the customary Courtois rescue when unexpectedly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly cutting out a pass inside his own penalty box and the ball bouncing from the inside of his foot directly through the center to past the center circle. Racing after it, huge space appearing, Vlahović outpaced his marker, holding him off and advancing into the box where the keeper saved.
Then the usual pattern happened, the save made good by the goal that comes after it. A burst from the Brazilian winger created it, working himself enough room amid four men to release a low, left-footed shot which struck the upright. Positioned in that forward position was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, Mbappé stopped by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his volley blocked by Gatti. Subsequently the Juventus goalkeeper made a superb quick saves from the forward and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the match was slipping away, the defender had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the mercy of the substitute unmarked in the penalty box. Finally in the final seconds the Madrid keeper dived to stop Thuram, his job complete. For the visitors, there was no way back, the opening goal of the season the last of the encounter.
“I'm overjoyed, a long time now since I’ve found the net, a period 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 unbelievable. I felt comfortable, really good. To perform 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 disaster, still 15 goals, 14 assists, but I understand the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a part of that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were still positive spells but not the level I aim to play at, not the level like the debut season. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a new manager, he’s got that system, how we want to play…. You have to take lessons.”
