Jude Bellingham scored his first goal of the season to give Real Madrid a narrow 1-0 victory over Juventus in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. The win keeps Real Madrid perfect with three wins from three matches, while Juventus remains winless in the competition. Thibaut Courtois made key saves to preserve the clean sheet at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against Juventus in the Champions League league phase, maintaining their 100% record with nine points from three games. Juventus, sitting 25th in the standings with two points from three matches, showed resilience but couldn't break through, extending their winless run to seven games across all competitions since September 13.
The match's decisive moment came in the 58th minute when Vinicius Jr drove into the box, beat three defenders, and fired a shot that struck the post. Bellingham reacted quickest to the rebound, tapping home from close range for his first goal since June's Club World Cup. The England midfielder, returning from shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the preseason and early games, has started just three matches this season.
"Jude played a really complete game, over and above the goal," said Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso. "He's one of the most complete players in the world."
Juventus started brightly, forcing two early saves from Courtois, who marked his 300th appearance for the club. Dusan Vlahovic came close on a counter-attack and later forced a one-on-one save from the Belgian goalkeeper in the second half. Michele Di Gregorio also impressed for Juventus, denying Kylian Mbappe and others as Real registered 27 shots to Juventus' 12. Mbappe, who went closest in the first half with a fierce effort, failed to score for the first time since August, ending a potential streak of 12 consecutive games.
Arda Guler controlled midfield and was named man of the match, earning praise from Alonso: "He's got so many talents." Defender Raul Asencio was substituted late due to cramps, with reports indicating no serious injury ahead of Sunday's El Clasico against Barcelona.
Courtois reflected: "Bellingham and Vinicius produced the magic for the goal. We had to sweat a lot, but it's a very important win."
Real Madrid's next Champions League fixture is against Liverpool on November 4.
