Bellingham shines, Real Madrid beat Juventus 1-0
Jude Bellingham's 70th-minute goal broke the deadlock at the Bernabeu, helping Real Madrid beat Juventus 1-0 after a tense first half. Arda Guler was voted man of the match.
At the Bernabeu, Real Madrid had to wait until the 70th minute to successfully break the lock against Juventus thanks to Jude Bellingham's close-range goal, closing out an important 1-0 victory in the League Phase of the 2025/26 Champions League. Before that, the home team pressed fiercely but wasted opportunities, especially Kylian Mbappe's unsuccessful shots.
First half deadlock: pressure without a goal
Right after the opening whistle, Real Madrid proactively pushed up their formation, pushing the ball up the Juventus field. The attacking tempo was maintained continuously, forcing the opponent to retreat deep to protect their goal.
Mbappe had consecutive chances but the French striker failed to take advantage, leaving Real unable to break the deadlock. His frustration was evident after his missed shots.
Despite taking the initiative, Real could not capitalize on their advantage. The first 45 minutes ended 0-0, forcing Carlo Ancelotti and his players to patiently wait for a different moment.
70th minute decisive: Bellingham breaks the ice at close range
The turning point came in the 70th minute. From a ball in the box, Bellingham found a suitable position and finished from close range, putting Real 1-0 up. The goal was both a reward for the home team's constant pressure and a testament to the English midfielder's instinct to be in the right place at the right time.
Juventus rose up but failed
Conceding the goal, Juventus pushed their formation higher, trying to find an equalizer. However, the solidity of Real's defense and concentration in the final minutes helped the home team maintain their advantage, completing a valuable clean sheet.
Tactical analysis: patiently break the defense
The action saw Real Madrid take control and increase the pressure with each passing move. With Mbappe yet to find his stride, Bellingham’s breakthrough role became the solution in the penalty area: choose your position, seize the opportunity at close range. Juventus preferred safety for much of the game before being forced to push forward after conceding, but lacked a similarly sharp moment to finish off the final act.
In a game of grinding, the difference came from patience. Real maintained the pressing rhythm and width of the corridors, stretching the defense to create decisive spaces. Bellingham took advantage of the opening moments in the penalty area to decide the match.
Key Match Statistics
| Battle | Real Madrid 1-0 Juventus |
|---|---|
| Score | Jude Bellingham 70' |
| First half | 0-0 |
| The decisive moment | Minute 70, close range shot |
| Clean sheet | Real Madrid |
| Man of the match | Arda Guler |
Champions League situation and notable results
The victory helped Real Madrid gain important points after 3 matches of the qualifying round. The series of matches at the same time witnessed many high scores:
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Barcelona - Olympiakos Piraeus | 6-1 |
| PSV Eindhoven - Napoli | 6-2 |
| Bayer Leverkusen - Paris Saint Germain | 2-7 |
| Arsenal - Atletico Madrid | 4-0 |
| Villarreal - Manchester City | 0-2 |
| Eintracht Frankfurt - Liverpool | 1-5 |
| Chelsea - Ajax | 5-1 |
Conclude
On a night when finishing was not at its best, Real Madrid still managed to take all three points thanks to a Bellingham moment in the 70th minute and solidity in the rest of the game. Hard-fought victories like this are often the foundation for long-term Champions League ambitions.
