While it wasn't a match for the ages, the roar from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again found himself before the south end with his arms wide open, listening to the crowd's rendition of his anthem. Following a shoulder injury and questions about his role, he scored his opening strike of the season, ultimately delivering a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that made them work hard. “We had to sweat for it,” stated the Belgian goalkeeper.
Decisive Stops Secure the Win
Courtois understood better than anyone, having to rescue a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and make another crucial save from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. The win puts Madrid on a strong tally and Igor Tudor’s team below the cut. After a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the Juventus manager may reflect on a promising opening, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the closing stages; the team's reality however presents worrying statistics.
“A side from Italy in difficulty is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had warned in advance.
Juventus, which were without a victory since last month, posed Madrid issues at the start and again near the end. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus were dangerous on the break, especially with the French defender running and the striker linking up, firing off 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Strong Opening 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 Éder Militão. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to intervene in front of Vlahović when Kalulu broke free on the right. Then soon after, Weston McKennie's effort was deflected wide.
What followed, from Federico Gatti's powerful strike, was a more impressive save. A quarter of an hour had passed. However, quickly the visitors' impetus had dissipated as well. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was rather mechanical, though, and the top chances fell to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were off target, a third took a deflection; another headed opportunity was missed by the center-back.
Guler Shines
Most creative play came from the young Turk. The Turk, whose football was the closest there was to smooth attacking, was always involved. His clever control and spin saw him deliver to the far post for Bellingham.
Little was seen of Kylian Mbappé early on, but when he did appear it was the closest Madrid came to a goal. First his attempt was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce eight saves. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him evade the full-back repeatedly until he tumbled to the turf and set up his teammate to fire over.
Second-Half Drama
Militão threw himself to halt Kalulu at the outset of the second period, and then came the customary save from the keeper when unexpectedly Vlahović was away. The “assist” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a ball inside his own penalty box and the ball deflecting from the inside of his boot right through the center to beyond the halfway line. Sprinting after it, huge space appearing, Vlahović outpaced his marker, using his strength and heading into the area where the keeper saved.
Then the usual pattern occurred, the stop made good by the goal that comes after it. A flash from the Brazilian winger set up it, working himself enough space amid multiple defenders to release a driven effort which struck the upright. Lurking in that forward position was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé stopped by the keeper and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley deflected by the defender. Subsequently the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from the forward and the attacking midfielder.
There were more scares: as the match was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were exposed and at the risk of Loïs Openda unmarked in the penalty box. Then in the final seconds Courtois flew in to stop the midfielder, his job complete. For the visitors, there was no way back, the opening goal of the campaign the last of the match.
“I'm overjoyed, a while now since I’ve scored, a period out and dreaming of that moment, back in the elite competition and against a major opponent. To get the decisive goal, here at home, it’s unbelievable. I was at ease, excellent. To perform was important and to net the match-winner benefits the team a lot.”
Regarding his performance, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, still fifteen strikes, 14 assists, but I know the general feeling 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 standard I want to play at, not the level 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.”
