It may not have been a classic encounter, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the home supporters with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's singing of Hey Jude. After a shoulder injury and questions about his role, he netted his first goal of the campaign, ultimately delivering a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” stated the Belgian goalkeeper.
Key Saves Ensure the Win
Courtois understood better than anyone, having to rescue a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and make another decisive save from the French midfielder in the dying moments. The win puts Madrid on a strong tally and the opposition team below the cut. At the end of a match with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the Juventus manager may reflect on a decent start, with those saves representing a wasted moment around the 85-minute mark; their current situation though makes for concerning reading.
“An Italian team in trouble is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had warned in advance.
The Turin-based club, which hadn’t won since September, posed Madrid issues at the start and again near the conclusion. Madrid dominated the ball, 66%-34%, but Juventus threatened on the counter, especially with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and Vlahović combining, managing 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Promising Start for Visitors
They had started well, certainly. Within three minutes, they thought they were ahead, Vlahović somewhat unfortunate to be penalized for holding Éder Militão. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene in front of him when the wing-back dashed clear on the right. Then three minutes after that, the American midfielder's effort was deflected past the post.
Next, from the defender's drive, was a more impressive save. Fifteen minutes had gone. However, quickly the visitors' impetus had faded as well. Madrid took control. Mostly it was all a bit functional, however, and the three best opportunities fell to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were off target, a third took a deflection; another chance with the head was wasted by the center-back.
Guler Shines
The best moments were provided by the young Turk. The Turk, whose play was the closest there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His neat stop and turn saw him deliver to the back post for Bellingham.
Little was seen of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he did appear it was the closest Madrid came to a goal. Initially his shot was denied by the Juventus keeper, who would make eight saves. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him turn the full-back twice until he tumbled to the ground and laid off to Militão to blast over.
Late Tension
Militão threw himself to halt Kalulu at the start of the second period, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when unexpectedly Vlahović was away. The “assist” had been remarkable, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a ball inside his own penalty box and the sphere bouncing from the instep of his boot right through the middle to beyond the center circle. Racing after it, ample room appearing, Vlahović raced Militão, holding him off and advancing into the area where Courtois made the stop.
Next what tends to happen occurred, the stop compensated for by the score that follows it. A flash from Vinícius Júnior set up it, working himself enough space amid four men to release a low, left-footed shot which struck the upright. Lurking in that striker’s role was Bellingham. The breakthrough found, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, Mbappé denied by the keeper and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley blocked by the defender. Then the Juventus goalkeeper made a superb quick saves from the forward and Brahim Díaz.
It was not the only one: as the game 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 momentarily alone in the area. Finally in the dying moments Courtois flew in to deny the midfielder, his job done. For the visitors, there was no way back, the opening goal of the season the final of the match.
“It’s a great feeling, a long time now since I’ve scored, a period out and dreaming of that moment, returning in the elite competition and against a big team. To score a winner, here at home, it’s unbelievable. I was at ease, really good. To perform was important and to score the winning goal helps the team a lot.”
Regarding his performance, he added: “I didn’t think last year was a failure, with 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 nonetheless positive spells but not the standard I aim to play at, not the caliber 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.”
