Thibaut Courtois says Real Madrid must beat Barcelona in the upcoming El Clasico if they are to reduce the six-point gap between the sides in the Spanish league.
The Belgium goalkeeper spoke after Real Madrid’s 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig in the third round of the league phase of the Champions League. Courtois played an important role in the first half, making two significant saves to preserve his clean sheet and ensure his side went into the interval ahead.
“I feel very good, I am happy and I am working well,” Courtois told Real Madrid TV, in comments reported by Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
“I made two important saves to keep a clean sheet at that moment and allow us to go into half-time ahead, because the match can become complicated if you find yourself behind in the score.”
Real Madrid took the lead during a first half in which Courtois’ interventions helped them maintain control. The goalkeeper said the opening goal was particularly important and explained that the players responded to their manager’s instructions by improving their defensive work after the restart.
“Scoring the first goal was important, and at half-time the manager asked us to improve defensively,” he said.
“Our performance improved, we defended with greater intensity and we achieved a good victory.”
Courtois also praised the competition for places within the Real Madrid squad. He said having almost all of the players available gives the coaching staff a wide range of options while encouraging everyone to improve.
“The team is in a very good state, and we can see that we can rely on almost all of the players,” he said.
“There is strong competition, and that makes all of us better.”
Courtois focused on Barcelona test
Real Madrid currently sit third in the Spanish league with 21 points after nine matches. They are six points behind leaders Barcelona, making the meeting between the two sides particularly significant in the title race.
Courtois said confidence alone would not be enough and that Real Madrid had to turn their current form into a positive result against their traditional rivals.
“We need to reduce the gap with them, and that can only be achieved by winning,” he said.
“We will go into the match with confidence, and we hope to defend well so that we do not concede goals.”
The goalkeeper also highlighted the demanding schedule facing Real Madrid, with four consecutive away matches to come. He hopes the team can win all of them before the international break.
His comments underline the importance Real Madrid are placing on their defensive performance against Barcelona. The club recognise that their attacking quality may not be sufficient on its own, and that maintaining defensive balance will be crucial if they are to take points from the match and close the gap at the top.
