It may not have been a match for the ages, the chanting from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham finally found himself before the home supporters with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's rendition of Hey Jude. Following a lengthy layoff and uncertainty about his position, he scored his first goal of the campaign, ultimately securing a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that made them work hard. “We had to sweat for it,” commented the Belgian goalkeeper.
Decisive Stops Ensure the Victory
The shot-stopper understood perfectly well, having to save a clear chance from Dušan Vlahović and produce another decisive stop from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. This result leaves Madrid on nine points and Igor Tudor’s team below the cut. After a match 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; the team's reality though presents concerning reading.
“An Italian team in trouble is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had warned beforehand.
Juventus, who hadn’t won since September, posed Madrid issues at the beginning and again near the conclusion. Madrid commanded the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus were dangerous on the break, particularly with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and the striker linking up, firing off 12 shots compared to the hosts' 27.
Promising Start for Visitors
They had started well, certainly. After just three minutes, they believed they were in front, Vlahović somewhat unlucky to be penalized for holding Éder Militão. Shortly after, the Madrid defender had to slide ahead of Vlahović when the wing-back broke free on the right flank. Then soon after, Weston McKennie's shot was pushed wide.
Next, from the defender's powerful strike, was a even better stop. A quarter of an hour had gone. That said, quickly the visitors' impetus had faded too. Madrid took control. Mostly it was rather mechanical, however, and the three best opportunities fell to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. Two were off target, a third took a deflection; an additional headed opportunity was wasted by Militão.
Turkish Talent Impresses
The best moments came from the young Turk. The Turk, whose football was the closest there was to smooth attacking, was constantly in the action. His neat stop and turn saw him clip to the back post for the Englishman.
There was not much sign of the French superstar yet, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid got to a goal. Initially his shot was stopped by Michele Di Gregorio, who would make eight saves. Next some lovely fast footwork saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso repeatedly until he tumbled to the ground and laid off to his teammate to blast over.
Late Tension
Militão threw himself to stop the runner at the outset of the second period, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when unexpectedly Vlahović was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a pass inside his own area and the sphere bouncing from the inside of his boot right through the middle to past the halfway line. Racing after it, huge space opening, Vlahović raced Militão, using his strength and advancing into the area where Courtois made the stop.
Then what tends to happen happened, the save compensated for by the goal that follows it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior created it, creating enough room amid multiple defenders to release a low, left-footed shot which hit the upright. Lurking in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman stopped by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his volley deflected by the defender. Subsequently Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the match was drawing to a close, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the risk of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the penalty box. Then in the dying moments Courtois flew in to stop Thuram, his work done. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, Bellingham’s first of the campaign the final of the match.
“It’s a great feeling, 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 score a winner, in our stadium, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, excellent. To perform was important and to net the match-winner benefits the team greatly.”
As for his performance, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a failure, still 15 goals, 14 assists, but I understand the perception was that it was poorer. But I was a contributor to that, how we underperformed last year, there were still good moments but not the level 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 system, how we intend to play…. You have to take lessons.”
