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 once again stood before the home supporters with his arms wide open, basking in the fans' rendition of Hey Jude. Following a lengthy layoff and uncertainty about his role, he netted his first goal of the season, eventually securing a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” stated Thibaut Courtois.
Key Saves Ensure the Win
Courtois knew better than anyone, having to save a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and produce another crucial save from the French midfielder in the dying moments. The win leaves Madrid on nine points 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 missed chance around the 85-minute mark; the team's reality though makes for worrying statistics.
“An Italian team in difficulty is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had warned in advance.
The Turin-based club, which were without a victory since last month, posed Madrid problems at the start and once more near the end. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus were dangerous on the counter, particularly with the French defender running and the striker combining, managing a dozen attempts compared to the home side's 27.
Promising Start for Visitors
The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. Within three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović somewhat unlucky to be penalized for holding the Brazilian defender. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene ahead of him when the wing-back dashed clear on the right flank. And three minutes after that, the American midfielder's shot was pushed wide.
What followed, from Federico Gatti's drive, was a even better save. A quarter of an hour had passed. That said, soon the Italians' momentum had faded too. Madrid took control. Mostly it was all a bit functional, however, and the top chances came to the French midfielder, who is not Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were off target, a third one 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. Güler, whose football was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was always involved. 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 finally emerged it was the closest Madrid came to scoring. First his attempt was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce several stops. Next some lovely fast footwork saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso twice until he tumbled to the ground and set up Militão to fire over.
Late Tension
Militão threw himself to halt the runner at the start of the second period, and then came the customary save from the keeper when unexpectedly Vlahović was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a ball inside his own penalty box and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his boot right through the middle to beyond the halfway line. Racing after it, huge space opening, the striker outpaced his marker, using his strength and advancing into the area where Courtois made the stop.
Then what tends to happen occurred, the save compensated for by the goal that follows it. A flash from the Brazilian winger created it, creating enough space amid four men to release a low, left-footed shot which struck the upright. Positioned in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé denied by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his volley blocked by the defender. Then the Juventus goalkeeper made a superb quick saves from Mbappé 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 opened up and at the mercy of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the area. Then in the dying moments Courtois dived to stop Thuram, his work done. For the visitors, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal of the campaign the final of the encounter.
“I'm overjoyed, a long time now since I’ve found the net, a period out and dreaming of that moment, back in the elite competition and against a big team. To score a winner, here at home, it’s incredible. I felt comfortable, really good. To play well was important and to net the match-winner benefits the team greatly.”
Regarding his performance, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, with fifteen strikes, 14 assists, 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 positive spells but not the standard I aim to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a different coach, he’s got that shape, how we intend to play…. You have to learn from it.”
