Real Madrid continued their flawless start to the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign with a narrow but hard-fought 1–0 victory over Juventus at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Despite the scoreline, it was far from a vintage performance by Xabi Alonso’s side, who labored through a first half dominated by missed opportunities and Juventus’ disciplined defending. Madrid struggled to find rhythm against the Italian visitors, who frustrated their hosts with a compact shape and quick counterattacks.
Kylian Mbappé came closest to breaking the deadlock before halftime, latching onto a clever through ball only to see his low strike expertly stopped by Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, who produced a series of brilliant saves throughout the match.
After the break, Madrid’s pressure finally told. In the 58th minute, Vinícius Júnior weaved his way into the box and unleashed a powerful drive that struck the post. The rebound fell kindly for Jude Bellingham, who calmly slotted home from close range to score his first goal of the season and give Los Blancos the lead.
Juventus refused to fold, however, and had two major chances to level the score. Dušan Vlahović was denied in a one-on-one situation by Thibaut Courtois, while Raúl Asencio made a vital block in stoppage time to preserve Madrid’s advantage.
In the end, Real Madrid held firm to record their third consecutive Champions League win, a result that lifts them to fifth in the overall league standings — just behind Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Inter, and Arsenal.
The focus now shifts to this weekend’s El Clásico, as Madrid prepare to host Barcelona in what promises to be another high-stakes encounter. Alonso’s men enter the match on the back of four straight victories in all competitions, but they will need to rediscover their attacking fluency to overcome their arch-rivals.
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