Record winners of the Champions League Real Madrid have earned a slim 1-0 victory in their European classic against Juventus, but it was anything but easy.
The Spanish side had to fight until the final whistle to get all three points and keep their perfect record in the opening three matches of the Champions League.
Thibaut Courtois’ crucial saves and Jude Bellingham’s lone goal proved decisive in what served as a dress rehearsal to Sunday’s Clásico against Barcelona.
For the first clash of the week’s two “classics,” Xabi Alonso largely stayed true to expectations.
His only surprise was starting Brahim Díaz instead of Mastantuono on the right wing.
After recent experiments against Getafe, Alonso fielded his strongest lineup, with Arda Güler and Vinícius Júnior both starting.
The lineup closely looked like the one expected for Sunday’s showdown at the Bernabéu, though the main uncertainty remains whether Brahim will retain his spot or Mastantuono will return.
However, the opening minutes against Juventus were far from reassuring for Madrid fans.
The Italian side outplayed Los Blancos in every aspect—breaking Madrid’s press effortlessly and creating multiple chances. Courtois denied them twice in quick succession, keeping the game level as the Bernabéu grew tense.
The turning point came around the 15th minute, when Madrid began to settle. Arda Güler dropped deeper to help in buildup, and Real Madrid finally found its rhythm.
The balance shifted completely—Juventus disappeared from the match, and Madrid started dominating possession and generating chances, mostly from set pieces.
Still, the hosts lacked precision in front of goal. Kylian Mbappé was quiet for most of the half but came alive in the final minutes, forcing Di Gregorio into a brave face save to prevent the opener. Despite a late surge, the first half ended goalless.
The second half began just like the first—with Juventus on top and Madrid looking disjointed.
Once again, Courtois came to the rescue, denying Vlahović in a one-on-one after Militao was beaten for pace. But then came the moment that changed everything.
In the 57th minute, Vinícius weaved through defenders in the box and fired off a shot that crashed against the post.
Bellingham pounced on the rebound to score the decisive goal. The Bernabéu erupted, echoing for the first time this season with chants of “Hey Jude.”
