While it wasn't a match for the ages, the chanting 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, basking in the fans' singing of Hey Jude. Following a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his position, he netted his first goal of the season, eventually delivering a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” stated the Belgian goalkeeper.
Key Saves Secure the Win
Courtois knew better than anyone, having to rescue a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and make another decisive save from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. The win puts Madrid on a strong tally and the opposition team below the cut. After a match with more shots than fluid football, the visiting coach may consider a decent start, with those opportunities representing a wasted moment around the 85-minute mark; the team's reality however presents concerning reading.
“A side from Italy in difficulty is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had remarked beforehand.
The Turin-based club, which hadn’t won since September, did cause Madrid issues at the beginning and once more near the conclusion. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the counter, especially with the French defender running and the striker combining, managing a dozen attempts compared to the hosts' 27.
Strong Opening for Away Side
The visitors began brightly, certainly. Within three minutes, they thought they were ahead, the forward a little unfortunate to be called for holding the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to slide ahead of him when Kalulu broke free on the right. Then three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's shot was deflected wide.
Next, from Federico Gatti's drive, was a even better save. Fifteen minutes had passed. That said, soon the Italians' momentum had faded too. Madrid assumed command. Mostly it was rather mechanical, however, and the three best opportunities came to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. A couple were headed over, a third took a deflection; an additional chance with the head was wasted by Militão.
Guler Shines
Most creative play were provided by the young Turk. The Turk, whose play was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, 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 early on, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid came to scoring. Initially his shot was stopped by Michele Di Gregorio, who would make several stops. Next some lovely fast footwork saw him evade Andrea Cambiaso repeatedly until he tumbled to the ground and set up Militão to blast over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian dived to halt the runner at the outset of the second period, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when unexpectedly Vlahović was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a pass inside his own penalty box and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his boot right through the middle to beyond the center circle. Sprinting after it, huge space opening, Vlahović raced Militão, holding him off and advancing into the area where the keeper made the stop.
Then the usual pattern occurred, the stop compensated for by the goal that follows it. A flash from Vinícius Júnior created it, creating enough space amid four men to release a low, left-footed shot which hit the post. Positioned in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé stopped by the keeper and the Uruguayan seeing his volley deflected by Gatti. Then Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from the forward and Brahim Díaz.
It was not the only one: as the game was slipping away, the defender had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were exposed and at the risk of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the penalty box. Then in the dying moments the Madrid keeper dived to deny Thuram, his job complete. For the visitors, there was no way back, Bellingham’s first of the season the final of the match.
“It’s a great feeling, a long time now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and thinking of that instant, back in the elite competition and against a big team. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I was at ease, excellent. To perform was crucial and to score the winning goal helps the team a lot.”
As for his form, he continued: “I didn’t think last year was a failure, still 15 goals, 14 assists, but I know 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 level I aim to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a different coach, he’s got that system, how we want to play…. You have to take lessons.”
