Jude Bellingham’s decisive strike helped 15-time champions Real Madrid maintain their perfect Champions League record with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Juventus on Wednesday night.
Under Xabi Alonso’s guidance, the Spanish giants largely controlled the encounter but were unable to widen their lead after England’s Bellingham converted from close range in the second half. Juventus, struggling without a win in seven matches across all competitions, battled valiantly but couldn’t find an equaliser at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The victory served as ideal momentum for Madrid ahead of Sunday’s anticipated Clasico clash with Barcelona in La Liga. The win also placed Madrid among five teams to have triumphed in all three of their opening group-stage games, alongside holders Paris Saint-Germain.
“I’m very happy with the win, it was a very tough game with chances at both ends and we had to sweat for it, but it was an important win against a big team,” Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told Movistar after marking his 300th appearance for the club.
“They are Juve, not a small side, and when they defend with 11 men and want to go on the counter, it’s not easy,” he added.
The first half saw both sides carefully assess each other, but gradually, Alonso’s men took control. Brahim Diaz’s clever flick found Kylian Mbappe, whose strike was expertly tipped away by Michele Di Gregorio. Mbappe then dazzled with a run down the right before cutting the ball back to Eder Militao, whose powerful shot sailed narrowly over.
After the break, the tempo increased. Courtois made a fine stop with his leg to deny Dusan Vlahovic after a swift Juventus counterattack.
Madrid finally broke the deadlock through Vinicius Junior’s persistence. Surrounded by defenders, Vinicius managed to create space for a curling effort that struck the post. Bellingham reacted fastest, tapping home the rebound in the 57th minute.
It marked the 22-year-old’s first goal of the season after recovering from summer shoulder surgery.
Mbappe, who had scored in his previous 11 appearances for club and country, saw his streak end after slipping during a shot that Di Gregorio easily saved. The Juventus keeper later pulled off a remarkable double save to deny both Mbappe and Diaz.
Juventus came close to equalising late on, but Raul Asencio’s last-ditch tackle thwarted Lois Openda’s attempt. In stoppage time, Courtois preserved Madrid’s clean sheet by parrying Filip Kostic’s long-range strike.
“We’ve started this group phase in the best way possible,” said Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. “We faced a good team that defend well and so for us it’s not so easy, but we were confident we would score.”
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Jude Bellingham’s goal underscored his growing influence at Real Madrid following his summer recovery from shoulder surgery.
The win marked Madrid’s continued dominance in Europe, reaffirming their status as one of the tournament’s strongest contenders. Juventus, on the other hand, extended their winless streak to seven games, intensifying pressure on manager Igor Tudor.
For Madrid, this result not only maintained their perfect start in the Champions League but also served as a major boost ahead of their crucial La Liga showdown with arch-rivals Barcelona.
