Real did what it does best again: controlled the rhythm, wore the opponent down, and struck at the right moment. Juventus fell in Madrid 0–1 — the decisive sequence was engineered by Vinícius and Jude Bellingham, and the foundation of the win was Thibaut Courtois's vigilance and composure. It is the fourth straight victory since the painful 2–5 against Atlético: the team is restoring its reputation with authority and moving through the Champions League without missteps.
The First 45 Minutes Under Madrid's Metronome
Xabi Alonso proposed a high tempo and total control. Real held 71% possession and produced 13 shots in the first half (Juve had only 3). The pressure came in waves: by the 26th minute the hosts had taken seven corners; Aurélien Tchouaméni kept appearing on set pieces — not only contesting aerials but instantly recycling second balls into dangerous zones. Even Kylian Mbappé, in pristine form, drew applause a couple of times… and still squandered chances — even stars have imprecise days. The Turin side replied with rare, sluggish counters that lacked width and second-wave support.
Halftime Like a Cold Shower for the Hosts
Right after the break Juventus finally caught the rhythm in transition. An Álvaro Carreras error turned into a chance for Pierre Kalulu in the box, and soon after Dušan Vlahović broke clean through the middle — that was Courtois's cue. Thibaut smothered the moments that can flip a match: unflustered positioning, narrowing the angle, sealing the far post — the zeros stayed on the board.
Militão — The Anchor of the Back Line and a Vacuum for Aerial Balls
Éder Militão delivered a model performance at center-back: halted a rapid counter, stepped out of the line for an interception at the right time, won two crucial aerial duels, and blocked a dangerous shot. After a second ACL injury, the Brazilian looks every bit the leader of the line — no drama, just iron positional discipline. He has looked like Real's best defender this season.
A Goal from the Third Wave of Pressure: Vinícius Created, Jude Finished
Once Juve sank deep into their goal area, Madrid found the right pattern. Vinícius drove in from the left, drew three defenders, spun sharply to the corner of the six-yard box and struck for the far corner — the post rescued the visitors only for a split second. Jude Bellingham was first to the rebound: box-to-box instinct, perfect starting spot, quick feet — 1–0. It was his first goal of the season after a shoulder layoff; he is gradually returning to the XI while the coaching staff searches for his optimal role in the new system.
Alonso's Tactical Experiment: Wider in Attack, Thinner in the Counter-Press
In positional phases Real frequently arranged into a 3-4-3 morphing into 4-3-3. Starting Arda Güler, Bellingham and Brahim Díaz together boosted the “traffic” in central lanes — exactly where the pressure was built against Juve's 5-4-1 low block out of possession. This addressed Real's earlier issues against back fives: Osasuna and Getafe had dried the tempo in similar structures (Real won 1–0 in those matches as well), but the tweaks worked better here — 14 shots and nine corners in the first half alone.
There was also a side effect: with only one nominal anchor (Tchouaméni), the counter-press in the first seconds after losses dipped locally. Juventus, in both halves, found exits in two or three passes and ran in behind the full-backs — in those windows Courtois's saves, plus timely cover from Éder Militão and Raúl Asensio, decided most of the heavy moments.
Numbers That Illuminate the Picture
Real finished with 28 shots, 2.81 xG and 17 attempts from inside the penalty area — a clear edge in chance quality. Context matters: the hosts dominated in positional play yet were vulnerable in transition. Had Juve finished one of those breaks, the narrative could have shifted. Football is a game of fine margins, and in those margins Real has Thibaut.
Courtois's Milestone and Los Blancos' Long Run
Thibaut played his 300th match for Madrid — he is now fourth among the club's goalkeepers by appearances. The Juve night was not only about saves; his ball progression stood out too: Courtois again dropped clean diagonals into Vinícius's stride (he did not quite replicate Nick Pope's heroics, but the intent was crystal clear).
At the same time Alonso's team is sealing the derby crack: after the 2–5 fiasco against Atlético came four straight wins — Kairat were unlucky in the UCL, then Villarreal and Getafe in La Liga, and now Juve. The aggregate score over this stretch is 10–1.
A Turin Slowdown and a Schedule That Tests Endurance
Juventus have only two points and sit 25th in the UCL composite table — outside the playoff zone for now. It is a second straight defeat after the 0–2 to Como; before that they were churning out draws.
Real have a home El Clásico next — a maturity check after the winning run — and then a UCL trip to Liverpool. Juve face Lazio on October 26, and on November 4 in the UCL they need to beat Sporting.
Conclusion
A concise win with solid substance. Real intensified pressure on the opponent's low block via a 3-4-3/4-3-3 hybrid, got the long-awaited goal from the returning Bellingham and, in the tensest moments, trusted Courtois — wisely so. If they add stability in the counter-press, their dominance in Europe will look even more convincing.
