While it wasn't a match for the ages, the roar from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again found himself before the home supporters with his arms wide open, listening to the crowd's rendition of his anthem. After a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his role, he netted his opening strike of the campaign, eventually delivering a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” stated the Belgian goalkeeper.
Key Saves Secure the Victory
The shot-stopper knew perfectly well, having to save a one-on-one from the Serbian striker and make another crucial save from the French midfielder in the dying moments. The win leaves Madrid on nine points 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 closing stages; their current situation however presents concerning reading.
“A side from Italy in trouble is twice as dangerous,” the Madrid coach had remarked beforehand.
The Turin-based club, which hadn’t won since September, posed Madrid problems at the start and once more near the end. Madrid dominated possession, 66%-34%, but Juventus were dangerous on the counter, particularly with the French defender surging forward and Vlahović linking up, managing a dozen attempts compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Promising Start for Away Side
The visitors began brightly, certainly. Within three minutes, they believed they were in front, Vlahović somewhat unfortunate to be called for pulling Éder Militão. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene in front of Vlahović when the wing-back broke free on the right. And soon after, Weston McKennie's effort was pushed 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 dissipated too. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was rather mechanical, though, and the three best opportunities fell to the French midfielder, who is not the coach's preferred forward. A couple were off target, a third one took a deflection; another headed opportunity was missed by Militão.
Guler Shines
The best moments came from Arda Güler. Güler, whose football was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His neat stop and turn saw him deliver to the back post for the Englishman.
Little was seen of the French superstar yet, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid came to a goal. Initially his attempt was stopped by Michele Di Gregorio, who would make eight saves. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso twice until he tumbled to the ground and laid off to his teammate to blast over.
Second-Half Drama
The Brazilian dived to stop Kalulu at the start of the second period, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when suddenly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been remarkable, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a pass inside his own area and the ball deflecting from the inside of his boot right through the middle to past the halfway line. Racing after it, ample room appearing, Vlahović raced his marker, using his strength and advancing into the area where the keeper made the stop.
Next what tends to happen happened, the save made good by the score that comes after it. A burst from the Brazilian winger created it, creating enough space amid multiple defenders to unleash a low, left-footed shot which struck the upright. Positioned in that forward position was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid should have finished it, the Frenchman stopped by the keeper and the Uruguayan seeing his volley blocked by Gatti. Subsequently Di Gregorio made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.
It was not the only one: as the game was drawing to a close, the defender had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the mercy of Loïs Openda unmarked in the penalty box. Finally in the dying moments Courtois dived to deny the midfielder, his work complete. For the visitors, there was no route to a comeback, the opening goal of the campaign the last of the encounter.
“I'm overjoyed, a while now since I’ve scored, a period out and thinking of that instant, back in the elite competition and against a big team. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I felt comfortable, excellent. To play well was important and to score the winning goal benefits the team greatly.”
Regarding his form, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, with fifteen strikes, 14 assists, but I know 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 caliber like the debut season. Now I’ve had my operation, a new manager, he’s got that shape, how we intend to play…. You have to learn from it.”
