On Wednesday, October 22, the day had finally arrived. I had the pleasure of attending the top match between Real Madrid and Juventus in the UEFA Champions League together with a few fellow students. Attending a match at the Bernabeu is special in itself, but when it’s against a top Italian club, it becomes even more special. Both clubs had faced each other recently at the Club World Cup, where Real Madrid won 1-0. For my fellow countryman Thibaut Courtois, it was a very special evening, as he was playing his 300th match for the Madrid giants. For him, it was the 300th match; for me, it was the first time I would see Real play. So, we both had something to look forward to.
The match had barely started when Juventus created their first small chance. A long-range shot was easily pushed away by Courtois. That would be the only real danger from the away side in the first half. Real Madrid, however, had several opportunities of their own, with shots from Tchouameni, Diaz, Mbappé, and Militao. Only on the chance from the French superstar did Di Gregorio have to intervene. 0-0 at halftime, heading into a second half that promised to bring more action.
Five minutes into the second half, Juventus had a chance to take the lead. With a very impressive solo run, Dusan Vlahovic advanced toward the Madrid goal. Eder Militao challenged him just before he shot, but Courtois still had to make a strong save to prevent the opening goal. As is often the case in football, the goal sometimes comes at the other end. And that’s what happened here: after a good action by Vini Jr., the attacker hit the post with his left foot, and Bellingham was alert enough to slot the rebound into an empty net. The stadium erupted, and I immediately witnessed my first goal at the Estadio Bernabeu.
After the opening goal, Real remained the better team in the match. Di Gregorio once again showed his skill with a double save from shots by Mbappé and Diaz. Real continued to push forward here and there, but a second goal never came. Towards the very end, it got dangerous when the newly substituted Kostic took a long-range shot. Courtois was alert, and Juventus couldn’t get an equalizer on the board.
Personally, I felt that Real was not playing at their highest level. If Juventus had shown a bit more courage, I think a draw could have been possible. It was also noticeable how little depth Real Madrid’s players looked for inside the box. They waited more and more, trying long-range attempts rather than working the ball into the box.
In short, it was an amazing experience to witness a Champions League match in such a football temple. The game could have been better, but it is definitely an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.
