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It may not have been a classic encounter, the roar from the Madrid's home stadium was familiar. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham finally stood before the south end with his arms outstretched, listening to the crowd's rendition of his anthem. After a lengthy layoff and questions about his role, he scored his opening strike of the season, ultimately delivering a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that made them work hard. “We had to sweat for it,” commented the Belgian goalkeeper.

Key Saves Secure the Win

The shot-stopper knew better than anyone, having to rescue a clear chance from Dušan Vlahović and produce another decisive stop from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. The win leaves Madrid on nine points and Igor Tudor’s team outside the qualifying spots. After a game with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may consider a decent start, with those opportunities representing a wasted moment around the closing stages; their current situation however makes for concerning reading.

“A side from Italy in trouble is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had remarked in advance.

The Turin-based club, who were without a victory since last month, posed Madrid problems at the beginning and once more near the end. Madrid dominated possession, 66%-34%, but Juventus threatened on the break, especially with the French defender surging forward and Vlahović combining, managing 12 shots compared to the home side's 27.

Promising Start for Away Side

They had started well, certainly. Within three minutes, they believed they were in front, the forward a little unlucky to be penalized for holding the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, the Madrid defender had to slide ahead of him when the wing-back dashed clear on the right. Then three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's shot was pushed past the post.

What followed, from the defender's drive, was a even better stop. A quarter of an hour had passed. However, quickly the Italians' momentum had dissipated as well. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was rather mechanical, however, and the top chances came to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be Alonso’s striker of choice. Two were off target, a third one took a deflection; an additional chance with the head was wasted by Militão.

Guler Shines

Most creative play were provided by the young Turk. Güler, whose play was the closest there was to fluidity, was always involved. His clever control and spin saw him clip to the far post for the Englishman.

Little was seen of the French superstar early on, but when he did appear it was the closest Madrid got to scoring. Initially his attempt was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce several stops. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him turn the full-back repeatedly until he went down to the ground and laid off to his teammate to blast over.

Second-Half Drama

The Brazilian threw himself to halt Kalulu at the outset of the second period, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when suddenly Vlahović was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a pass inside his own area and the sphere bouncing from the inside of his foot right through the middle to beyond the halfway line. Sprinting after it, huge space opening, the striker raced his marker, holding him off and heading into the area where the keeper made the stop.

Next what tends to happen occurred, the save compensated for by the score that follows it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior set up it, creating enough space amid four men to unleash a driven effort which hit the upright. Positioned in that striker’s role was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman stopped by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his half-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 match was drawing to a close, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the mercy of Loïs Openda unmarked in the area. Then in the final seconds Courtois flew in to deny Thuram, his job complete. For the visitors, there was no way back, the opening goal 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 dreaming of that moment, returning in the elite competition and against a big team. To get the decisive goal, here at home, it’s incredible. I felt comfortable, really good. To perform was crucial and to net the match-winner helps the team greatly.”

As for his performance, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a disaster, with 15 goals, fourteen setups, but I know the perception was that it was worse. But I was a contributor to that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were nonetheless good moments but not the level I aim to play at, not the caliber like the first year. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a new manager, he’s got that system, how we want to play…. You have to learn from it.”