It may not have been a match for the ages, the roar from the Madrid's home stadium was unmistakable. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the south end with his arms outstretched, listening to the fans' singing of his anthem. Following a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his position, he netted his first goal of the season, ultimately securing a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” stated the Belgian goalkeeper.
Decisive Stops Ensure the Win
The shot-stopper knew perfectly well, having to save a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and produce another crucial stop from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. The win puts Madrid on nine points and the opposition team outside the qualifying spots. At the end of a match with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the Juventus manager may consider a promising opening, with those saves representing a missed chance around the closing stages; their current situation though makes for concerning reading.
“An Italian team in trouble is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had remarked in advance.
Juventus, which were without a victory since September, did cause Madrid issues at the beginning and again near the conclusion. Madrid commanded the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the counter, especially with Pierre Kalulu running and Vlahović linking up, managing 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.
Promising Start for Visitors
They had started well, certainly. After just three minutes, they believed they were in front, the forward a little unfortunate to be penalized for pulling Éder Militão. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to slide ahead of Vlahović when the wing-back broke free on the right. Then soon after, Weston McKennie's shot was pushed wide.
What followed, from Federico Gatti's powerful strike, was a even better stop. A quarter of an hour had gone. That said, soon the visitors' impetus had dissipated as well. Madrid took control. Largely it was all a bit functional, though, and the three best opportunities came to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. A couple were headed over, a third one took a deflection; another chance with the head was missed by Militão.
Turkish Talent Impresses
The best moments came from Arda Güler. The Turk, whose football was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was constantly in the action. His clever control and spin saw him deliver to the far post for the Englishman.
There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé early on, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid came to a goal. Initially his attempt 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 set up his teammate to blast over.
Late Tension
Militão threw himself to halt the runner at the start of the second period, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when suddenly Vlahović was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a ball inside his own penalty box and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his boot directly through the middle to beyond the center circle. Sprinting after it, ample room opening, Vlahović raced his marker, holding him off and heading into the box where the keeper made the stop.
Next the usual pattern occurred, the save made good by the score that follows it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior set up it, creating enough space amid multiple defenders to release a driven effort which hit the post. Lurking in that forward position was Bellingham. With the deadlock broken, Madrid should have finished it, the Frenchman stopped by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley deflected by the defender. Then the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.
It was not the only one: as the game was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the risk of the substitute unmarked in the penalty box. Then in the final seconds the Madrid keeper dived to stop Thuram, his job complete. For the visitors, there was no route to a comeback, Bellingham’s first of the season the last of the match.
“It’s a great feeling, a while now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and thinking of that instant, back in the elite competition and against a major opponent. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s incredible. I felt comfortable, really good. To play well was crucial and to net the match-winner helps the team greatly.”
Regarding his performance, he added: “I didn’t think last year was a failure, 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 positive spells but not the level I want to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a different coach, he’s got that shape, how we want to play…. You have to learn from it.”
