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While it wasn't a classic encounter, the chanting from the Santiago Bernabéu was familiar. Having been absent for some time, Jude Bellingham once again stood before the south end with his arms wide open, basking in the crowd's singing of his anthem. Following a shoulder injury and uncertainty about his position, he scored his opening strike of the season, ultimately delivering a narrow win for Real Madrid over a Italian opponent that put up a fight. “We had to sweat for it,” stated Thibaut Courtois.

Key Saves Secure the Victory

The shot-stopper understood perfectly well, having to save a one-on-one from Dušan Vlahović and make another crucial stop from Khéphren Thuram in the dying moments. The win leaves Madrid on nine points and the opposition team outside the qualifying spots. After a match with plenty of attempts but little elegance, the visiting coach may reflect on a decent start, with those saves representing a missed chance around the 85-minute mark; their current situation though presents worrying statistics.

“A side from Italy in trouble is doubly threatening,” Xabi Alonso had remarked beforehand.

The Turin-based club, which hadn’t won since last month, posed Madrid problems at the beginning and again near the conclusion. Madrid commanded possession, with a significant advantage, but Juventus threatened on the break, especially with Pierre Kalulu running and Vlahović combining, managing a dozen attempts compared to the home side's 27.

Promising Start for Away Side

They had started well, certainly. After just three minutes, they believed they were ahead, Vlahović somewhat unfortunate to be called for pulling the Brazilian defender. Three minutes later, the Madrid defender had to slide in front of him when Kalulu broke free on the right. Then soon after, Weston McKennie's effort was deflected past the post.

What followed, from the defender's drive, was a more impressive stop. A quarter of an hour had passed. However, quickly the Italians' momentum had faded as well. Madrid assumed command. Largely it was rather mechanical, though, 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; another chance with the head was missed by Militão.

Guler Shines

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

Little was seen of Kylian Mbappé early on, but when he did appear it was the closest Madrid got to a goal. First his attempt was denied by Michele Di Gregorio, who would produce several stops. Then some lovely fast footwork saw him evade Andrea Cambiaso twice until he tumbled to the turf and laid off to his teammate to fire over.

Second-Half Drama

Militão threw himself to stop the runner at the outset of the second period, and then came the regulation save from the keeper when suddenly the attacker was away. The “inadvertent pass” had been quite something, with Lloyd Kelly intercepting a ball inside his own penalty box and the ball deflecting from the inside of his boot right through the middle to beyond the halfway line. Sprinting after it, ample room opening, the striker outpaced his marker, holding him off and advancing into the box where Courtois made the stop.

Next the usual pattern happened, the save made good by the goal that comes after it. A burst from Vinícius Júnior created it, creating enough space amid multiple defenders to unleash a low, left-footed shot which hit the post. Lurking in that forward position was the goalscorer. The breakthrough found, Madrid ought to have sealed the game, the Frenchman stopped by Di Gregorio and Fede Valverde seeing his half-volley blocked by Gatti. Subsequently Di Gregorio made a superb quick saves from the forward and the attacking midfielder.

It was not the only one: as the match was slipping away, Raúl Asencio had to make a stunning sliding block as Madrid were exposed and at the mercy of the substitute momentarily alone in the area. Finally in the dying moments Courtois flew in to deny the midfielder, his work done. For the visitors, there was no way back, the opening goal of the season the last 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 instant, returning in the elite competition and against a big team. To get the decisive goal, here at home, it’s incredible. I was at ease, excellent. To perform was important and to net the match-winner helps the team a lot.”

As for his form, he continued: “It wasn't that last year was a failure, still 15 goals, 14 assists, but I know the general feeling was that it was poorer. But I was a part of that, how we didn’t play as well last year, there were nonetheless positive spells but not the level I aim to play at, not the caliber like the debut season. Now I’ve had my shoulder surgery, a different coach, he’s got that system, how we intend to play…. You have to learn from it.”