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It may not have been a classic encounter, the roar from the Madrid's home stadium was unmistakable. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the home supporters with his arms outstretched, listening to the crowd's rendition of his anthem. Following a lengthy layoff and uncertainty about his role, he scored his first goal of the campaign, ultimately delivering a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that put up a fight. “It was a tough battle,” commented the Belgian goalkeeper.

Key Saves Ensure the Victory

Courtois understood better than anyone, having to rescue a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and produce another crucial stop from the French midfielder in the final minute. The win leaves Madrid on nine points and the opposition team outside the qualifying spots. At the end of a game with more shots than fluid football, the Juventus manager may reflect on a promising opening, with those saves representing a missed chance around the closing stages; the team's reality though presents worrying statistics.

“An Italian team in trouble is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had warned beforehand.

Juventus, who were without a victory since last month, did cause Madrid problems at the start and once more near the conclusion. Madrid dominated the ball, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the counter, especially with the French defender surging forward and the striker linking up, firing off a dozen attempts compared to the home side's twenty-seven.

Strong Opening for Visitors

The visitors began brightly, without a doubt. Within three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović somewhat unlucky to be called for holding the Brazilian defender. Shortly after, Raúl Asencio had to intervene ahead of him when the wing-back broke free on the right flank. Then soon after, the American midfielder'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 faded too. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was all a bit functional, however, and the three best opportunities came to the French midfielder, who is not Alonso’s striker of choice. A couple were off target, a third one deflected wide; an additional headed opportunity was missed by Militão.

Turkish Talent Impresses

The best moments came from the young Turk. Güler, whose football was the nearest thing there was to fluidity, was always involved. His neat stop and turn saw him clip to the far post for the Englishman.

Little was seen of the French superstar yet, 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 produce eight saves. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him turn the full-back repeatedly until he tumbled to the ground and set up his teammate to blast over.

Late Tension

The Brazilian dived to halt Kalulu at the outset of the second period, and then came the customary save from the keeper when unexpectedly the attacker was through. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a pass inside his own area and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his foot directly through the center to beyond the center circle. Sprinting after it, ample room appearing, Vlahović raced his marker, using his strength and heading into the box where Courtois saved.

Then the usual pattern occurred, the stop made good by the goal that comes after it. A burst from the Brazilian winger created it, creating enough space amid four men to release a driven effort which hit the post. Positioned in that striker’s role was Bellingham. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, the Frenchman denied by the keeper and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley deflected by the defender. Then the Juventus goalkeeper made a brilliant double stop from Mbappé and Brahim Díaz.

It was not the only one: as the match was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were opened up and at the risk of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the penalty box. Then in the dying moments Courtois dived to deny the midfielder, his work complete. For the visitors, there was no route to a comeback, Bellingham’s first of the season the last of the encounter.

“I'm overjoyed, a while now since I’ve scored, a period out and thinking of that moment, back in the elite competition and against a big team. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, really good. To play well was important and to net the match-winner benefits the team a lot.”

As for his performance, he added: “I didn’t think last year was a disaster, still fifteen strikes, 14 assists, but I understand the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a part of that, how we underperformed last year, there were nonetheless good moments but not the level I want to play at, not the level like the debut season. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a different coach, he’s got that system, how we want to play…. You have to take lessons.”