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It may not have been a classic encounter, the chanting from the Santiago Bernabéu was unmistakable. After a long wait, Jude Bellingham once again found himself 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 position, he netted his opening strike of the season, eventually securing a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that made them work hard. “We had to sweat for it,” commented Thibaut Courtois.

Key Saves Ensure the Win

The shot-stopper understood better than anyone, having to rescue a one-on-one from the Serbian striker and produce another crucial save from Khéphren Thuram in the final minute. This result puts Madrid on a strong tally and Igor Tudor’s team below the cut. After 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 85-minute mark; their current situation though presents concerning reading.

“An Italian team in difficulty is doubly threatening,” the Madrid coach had remarked beforehand.

Juventus, who hadn’t won since last month, did cause Madrid problems at the start and again near the end. Madrid commanded the ball, 66%-34%, but Juventus threatened on the counter, especially with the French defender surging forward and Vlahović combining, managing 12 shots compared to the home side's twenty-seven.

Promising Start for Visitors

They had started well, certainly. Within three minutes, they thought they were in front, Vlahović somewhat unlucky to be called for pulling the Brazilian defender. Three minutes later, Raúl Asencio had to intervene in front of him when the wing-back dashed clear on the right. Then three minutes after that, the American midfielder's shot was deflected past the post.

What followed, from Federico Gatti's drive, was a even better save. Fifteen minutes had gone. That said, soon the Italians' momentum had dissipated too. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was all a bit functional, however, and the three best opportunities fell to the French midfielder, who wouldn’t be the coach's preferred forward. A couple were headed over, a third deflected wide; another headed opportunity was wasted by the center-back.

Guler Shines

The best moments came from Arda Güler. The Turk, whose football was the nearest thing there was to smooth attacking, was constantly in the action. His clever control and spin saw him clip to the back post for Bellingham.

There was not much sign of Kylian Mbappé yet, but when he did appear it was the nearest Madrid got to scoring. First his shot was stopped by the Juventus keeper, who would produce eight saves. Next some lovely fast footwork saw him turn Andrea Cambiaso twice until he tumbled to the ground and set up his teammate to fire over.

Late Tension

Militão dived to halt the runner at the outset of the second period, and then came the regulation Courtois rescue when unexpectedly Vlahović was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly cutting out a pass inside his own area and the sphere deflecting from the inside of his foot directly through the middle to past the center circle. Racing after it, ample room opening, Vlahović raced his marker, holding him off and advancing into the box where the keeper saved.

Next what tends to happen happened, the stop compensated for by the score that comes after it. A flash from the Brazilian winger set up it, working himself enough space amid multiple defenders to unleash a low, left-footed shot which hit the upright. Positioned in that forward position was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid should have finished it, Mbappé denied by the keeper and the Uruguayan seeing his volley deflected by Gatti. Subsequently Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from the forward and the attacking midfielder.

There were more scares: as the game was drawing to a close, the defender had to make a incredible last-ditch tackle as Madrid were exposed and at the risk of Loïs Openda momentarily alone in the area. Finally in the final seconds the Madrid keeper flew in to stop the midfielder, his work complete. For the visitors, there was no way back, the opening goal of the campaign the last of the encounter.

“It’s a great feeling, a long time now since I’ve scored, a lot of time out and dreaming of that instant, returning in the Champions League and against a major opponent. To score a winner, in our stadium, it’s unbelievable. I felt comfortable, really good. To perform was important and to net the match-winner benefits the team a lot.”

Regarding his form, he added: “It wasn't that last year was a failure, with 15 goals, fourteen setups, but I know the general feeling was that it was poorer. But I was a part of that, how we underperformed last year, there were still positive spells but not the level I aim to play at, not the level like the debut season. Now I’ve had my operation, a different coach, he’s got that shape, how we want to play…. You have to learn from it.”