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 stood before the home supporters with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's rendition of Hey Jude. Following a shoulder injury and questions about his role, he scored his opening strike of the campaign, eventually delivering a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that made them work hard. “We had to sweat for it,” commented the Belgian goalkeeper.
Key Saves Ensure the Win
The shot-stopper knew perfectly well, having to rescue a one-on-one from the Serbian striker and make another decisive save from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. This result leaves Madrid on nine points and Igor Tudor’s team below the cut. At the end of a match with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may reflect on a decent start, with those opportunities representing a missed chance around the closing stages; their current situation though makes for worrying statistics.
“An Italian team in difficulty is twice as dangerous,” Xabi Alonso had warned in advance.
Juventus, who hadn’t won since last month, posed Madrid problems at the beginning and once more near the end. Madrid dominated the ball, 66%-34%, but Juventus were dangerous on the counter, particularly with Pierre Kalulu surging forward and the striker linking up, firing off a dozen attempts compared to the home side's 27.
Strong Opening for Away Side
They had started well, certainly. Within three minutes, they thought they were ahead, the forward a little unfortunate to be penalized for pulling the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to slide ahead of him when Kalulu dashed clear on the right. And soon after, Weston McKennie's effort was deflected wide.
What followed, from Federico Gatti's drive, was a more impressive stop. Fifteen minutes had gone. However, quickly the Italians' momentum had dissipated as well. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was all a bit functional, though, and the three best opportunities fell to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. Two were off target, a third deflected wide; an additional chance with the head was wasted by the center-back.
Turkish Talent Impresses
The best moments were provided by the young Turk. The Turk, whose play was the nearest thing there was to smooth attacking, was constantly in the action. His clever control and spin saw him deliver to the far post for the Englishman.
Little was seen of the French superstar early on, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid got to scoring. Initially his shot was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would make eight saves. Next some exquisite dribbling saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso repeatedly until he went down to the ground and laid off to his teammate to blast over.
Late Tension
The Brazilian dived to halt the runner at the start of the second period, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when unexpectedly the attacker was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a ball inside his own area and the sphere deflecting from the instep of his boot directly through the middle to beyond the center circle. Sprinting after it, ample room appearing, Vlahović raced Militão, holding him off and heading into the area where Courtois saved.
Then the usual pattern occurred, the save compensated for by the goal that follows it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior set up it, working himself enough space amid four men to unleash a driven effort which struck the upright. Lurking in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé stopped by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley blocked by Gatti. Then Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from the forward and Brahim Díaz.
There were more scares: as the game was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the risk of the substitute momentarily alone in the penalty box. Finally in the dying moments the Madrid keeper dived to deny the midfielder, his work done. For Juve, there was no route to a comeback, Bellingham’s first of the season the final of the match.
“I'm overjoyed, a long time now since I’ve found the net, a period out and dreaming of that moment, back in the elite competition and against a major opponent. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s unbelievable. I was at ease, really good. To play well was crucial and to score the winning goal benefits the team greatly.”
As for his form, he continued: “I didn’t think last year was a disaster, with 15 goals, fourteen setups, but I know 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 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 new manager, he’s got that system, how we want to play…. You have to learn from it.”
