MADRID.- A solitary goal Jude Bellingham gave victory to real Madrid in front of the Juventus (1-0) in a tough match corresponding to the third day of the Champions Leaguewhich allows the merengue team to remain undefeated in the continental competition.
The Brazilian Vinicius created a cross shot that bounced off the post, but the English midfielder was quick to send the ball into the back of the net without opposition in the 57th minute.
With this victory, the white team has the same points (9) as Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, in the lead by goal difference (+10), and gains confidence ahead of Sunday’s Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Arsenal and Inter Milan are also at the top with nine points.
“We knew it was going to be a competitive game, it had different moments, in the first half we went from less to more, it was difficult for us to close the game, we talked at half-time, we adjusted a little and we came out very well,” said the coach. Xabi Alonso at a press conference.
“After that goal, we had good moments with chances to kill the game,” continued the Basque coach, who highlighted the importance of Sunday’s league match against Barcelona.
“It has a lot of meaning both for the game itself and for the classification and the impact,” he said.
The clash against Juve started with the Italian squad attacking with determination. Federico Gatti (15) forced Thibaut Courtois to take out his mitt to stop a dangerous shot from the front.
Xabi Alonso’s pupils began to grow, with Kylian Mbappé and Brahim Díaz in attack, the latter starting to the detriment of the Argentine Franco Mastantuono.
The Moroccan international assisted the French striker (40) almost from the ground, who finished with power, but goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio prevented the first goal.
Three minutes later, Brazilian center back Militao sent a ball over the crossbar after receiving a pass from Mbappé that cut into his marker in the area.
After the restart, Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic (50) missed a cross shot in a one-on-one with Courtois.
The Belgian goalkeeper, who celebrated his 300th game with the “merengue” team, put in a prodigious foot to prevent the goal of the Bianconero team, which played in black in the Madrid fiefdom.
The Bernabéu to the rhythm of ‘Hey Jude’
Once again, the Madrid team had to find themselves on the ropes to react and try to win the game.
At that moment, Vinicius appeared, whipping himself after cutting off several defenders, crashing into the post, but Bellingham, attentive, pushed the ball into the back of the net.
The Merengues fans once again chanted the Beatles’ hit ‘Hey Jude’ and sang it in unison to celebrate the English star’s goal.
Later, Di Gregorio (71) torpedoed another attempt by the Madridistas to widen the gap with two sublime saves in a row. The first to Mbappé, after a powerful right hand and, then, repelling a point-blank shot from Brahim.
In the final stretch, Raúl Asencio saved the tying goal in a Juventus counterattack in a two-on-two that ended with the Belgian Loïs Openda’s shot and the center-back’s save by diving low on the grass.
“Very happy with the victory, it was very hard. With chances on both sides. We took it with a lot of sweat. Important victory against another great,” Courtois declared to Movistar+.
Regarding the duel against Barcelona, the goalkeeper stated that both teams are doing well: “It will be a great game, after losing several last year. It is important to win.”
Alonso’s team will visit Anfield on the next European date, at the beginning of November, to face Liverpool.
