While it wasn't a match for the ages, the roar from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham finally found himself before the south end with his arms wide open, listening to the fans' rendition of Hey Jude. After a lengthy layoff and uncertainty about his role, he scored his first goal of the season, eventually securing a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” commented the Belgian goalkeeper.
Decisive Stops Secure the Victory
The shot-stopper understood perfectly well, having to rescue a one-on-one from the Serbian striker and produce another decisive stop from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. This result puts Madrid on a strong tally and the opposition team below the cut. After a match with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the Juventus manager may consider a decent start, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the 85-minute mark; their current situation however presents concerning reading.
“An Italian team in trouble is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had remarked beforehand.
The Turin-based club, which hadn’t won since last month, posed Madrid issues at the start and once more near the end. Madrid dominated the ball, 66%-34%, but Juventus threatened on the counter, particularly with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and Vlahović linking up, firing off a dozen attempts compared to the home side's 27.
Promising Start for Visitors
They had started well, certainly. After just three minutes, they thought they were ahead, the forward a little unlucky to be penalized for pulling the Brazilian defender. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene in front of Vlahović when Kalulu dashed clear on the right. Then three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's shot was deflected wide.
What followed, from the defender's drive, was a more impressive stop. A quarter of an hour had passed. That said, quickly the visitors' impetus had faded as well. Madrid took control. Largely it was rather mechanical, though, and the top chances fell to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who is not the coach's preferred forward. A couple were off target, a third took a deflection; an additional headed opportunity was missed by the center-back.
Guler Shines
The best moments came from Arda Güler. Güler, whose football was the closest there was to smooth attacking, was constantly in the action. His clever control and spin saw him deliver to the far post for Bellingham.
There was not much sign of the French superstar yet, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid came to scoring. First his shot was denied by the Juventus keeper, who would make eight saves. Next some exquisite dribbling saw him evade the full-back repeatedly until he went down to the ground and laid off to his teammate to blast over.
Second-Half Drama
The Brazilian threw himself to halt Kalulu at the outset of the second period, and then came the customary Courtois rescue when unexpectedly Vlahović was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly cutting out a ball inside his own penalty box and the ball bouncing from the inside of his foot directly through the middle to past the halfway line. Sprinting after it, ample room opening, Vlahović outpaced his marker, using his strength and advancing into the box where Courtois made the stop.
Next what tends to happen occurred, the stop made good by the score that comes after it. A flash from the Brazilian winger set up it, working himself enough room amid four men to unleash a low, left-footed shot which hit the post. Lurking in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman denied by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his volley deflected by Gatti. Then the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from the forward and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the match was drawing to a close, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were exposed and at the mercy of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the area. Then in the dying moments the Madrid keeper flew in to stop Thuram, his work done. For the visitors, there was no way back, Bellingham’s first of the season the last of the match.
“It’s a great feeling, a long time now since I’ve found the net, a period out and thinking of that instant, back in the Champions League and against a major opponent. To get the decisive goal, here at home, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, excellent. To perform was crucial and to score the winning goal benefits the team greatly.”
Regarding his performance, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, still fifteen strikes, fourteen setups, but I understand the perception was that it was worse. But I was a part of that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were still good moments but not the level I want to play at, not the level like the first year. Now I’ve had my operation, a different coach, he’s got that system, how we want to play…. You have to take lessons.”
