While it wasn't a classic encounter, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was unmistakable. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the south end with his arms outstretched, listening to the crowd's singing of Hey Jude. After a lengthy layoff and questions about his position, he scored his first goal of the season, eventually delivering a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that made them work hard. “It was a tough battle,” stated Thibaut Courtois.
Key Saves Ensure the Win
Courtois understood better than anyone, having to rescue a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and produce another decisive stop from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. The win puts Madrid on nine points and the opposition team outside the qualifying spots. At the end of a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the visiting coach may reflect on a promising opening, with those saves representing a missed chance around the closing stages; their current situation though presents 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, did cause Madrid problems at the start and once more near the conclusion. Madrid commanded possession, 66%-34%, but Juventus threatened on the counter, particularly with the French defender surging forward and the striker combining, firing off 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Strong Opening for Away Side
They had started well, certainly. Within three minutes, they thought they were ahead, the forward somewhat unfortunate to be called for pulling the Brazilian defender. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene in front of him when the wing-back dashed clear on the right flank. Then three minutes after that, the American midfielder's shot was deflected wide.
Next, from the defender's powerful strike, was a more impressive save. A quarter of an hour had gone. However, quickly the visitors' impetus had faded as well. Madrid took control. Largely it was all a bit functional, however, and the top chances came to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. Two were headed over, a third one took a deflection; another headed opportunity was wasted by the center-back.
Turkish Talent Impresses
Most creative play came from the young Turk. The Turk, whose play 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 scoring. Initially his shot was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would produce eight saves. Next some exquisite dribbling saw him evade the full-back twice until he tumbled to the turf and laid off to Militão to blast over.
Second-Half Drama
Militão threw himself to stop the runner at the start of the second period, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when suddenly the attacker was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender cutting out a pass inside his own penalty box and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his foot directly through the center to beyond the center circle. Racing after it, ample room appearing, Vlahović raced his marker, using his strength and heading into the area where the keeper made the stop.
Then what tends to happen occurred, the save made good by the goal that comes after it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior set up it, working himself enough space amid multiple defenders to release a low, left-footed shot which hit the post. Lurking in that forward position was Bellingham. The breakthrough found, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, Mbappé denied by the keeper and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley blocked by the defender. Subsequently the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from the forward and Brahim Díaz.
It was not the only one: as the match was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the mercy of Loïs Openda unmarked in the penalty box. Then in the final seconds Courtois dived to stop the midfielder, his work done. For Juve, there was no way back, Bellingham’s first of the season the final of the encounter.
“It’s a great feeling, a while now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and dreaming of that moment, back in the Champions League and against a major opponent. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I was at ease, excellent. To play well was crucial and to net the match-winner helps the team a lot.”
As for his form, he added: “I didn’t think last year was a disaster, still fifteen strikes, fourteen setups, but I understand the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a contributor to that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were still positive spells but not the standard I want to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a new manager, he’s got that system, how we want to play…. You have to take lessons.”
