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It may not have been a match for the ages, the chanting from the Santiago Bernabéu was unmistakable. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham finally stood before the south end with his arms outstretched, basking in the fans' rendition of Hey Jude. After a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his position, he scored his first goal of the season, eventually securing a 1-0 victory for Real Madrid over a Juventus side that made them work hard. “It was a tough battle,” commented Thibaut Courtois.

Decisive Stops Ensure the Victory

Courtois knew perfectly well, having to rescue a clear chance from Dušan Vlahović and produce another crucial save from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. This result puts Madrid on a strong tally and Igor Tudor’s team below the cut. After a game with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the Juventus manager may consider a promising opening, with those saves representing a missed chance around the 85-minute mark; the team's reality though makes for worrying statistics.

“A side from Italy in trouble is twice as dangerous,” the Madrid coach had remarked beforehand.

The Turin-based club, who hadn’t won since September, did cause Madrid issues at the beginning and again near the conclusion. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the counter, particularly with the French defender running and Vlahović combining, managing 12 shots compared to the hosts' twenty-seven.

Promising Start for Away Side

The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. After just three minutes, they believed they were in front, the forward somewhat unlucky to be called for pulling Éder Militão. Shortly after, the Madrid defender had to slide in front of him when Kalulu dashed clear on the right flank. And three minutes after that, Weston McKennie's shot was pushed past the post.

What followed, from the defender's drive, was a even better save. A quarter of an hour had passed. 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 fell to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who is not the coach's preferred forward. Two were off target, a third took a deflection; another headed opportunity was wasted by the center-back.

Turkish Talent Impresses

Most creative play came from the young Turk. Güler, whose football was the nearest thing there was to smooth attacking, was always involved. His neat stop and turn saw him clip to the back post for Bellingham.

There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he finally emerged it was the nearest Madrid got to a goal. Initially his shot was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would make several stops. Then some exquisite dribbling saw him evade the full-back repeatedly until he went down to the ground and laid off to his teammate to blast over.

Second-Half Drama

Militão threw himself to stop the runner at the outset of the second half, and then came the customary Courtois rescue when suddenly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with the defender intercepting a pass inside his own area and the ball deflecting from the instep of his boot right through the center to beyond the halfway line. Sprinting after it, huge space opening, Vlahović outpaced Militão, using his strength and heading into the area where Courtois saved.

Then the usual pattern happened, the stop compensated for by the goal that follows it. A flash from the Brazilian winger set up it, working himself enough space amid four men to release a driven effort which hit the post. Positioned in that forward position was the goalscorer. With the deadlock broken, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé stopped by Di Gregorio and the Uruguayan seeing his half-volley deflected by Gatti. Subsequently the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and the attacking midfielder.

There were more scares: as the game was drawing to a close, Raúl Asencio had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the mercy of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the area. Then in the final seconds the Madrid keeper dived to deny Thuram, his job 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 lot of time out and dreaming of that moment, returning in the Champions League and against a big team. To get the decisive goal, in our stadium, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, really good. To perform was important and to net the match-winner helps the team a lot.”

Regarding his performance, he continued: “I didn’t think last year was a failure, with fifteen strikes, fourteen setups, but I understand the perception was that it was worse. But I was a contributor to that, how we underperformed 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 shape, how we want to play…. You have to learn from it.”