Thibaut Courtois was the player who spoke with Xabi Alonso in the press conference for Real Madrid before their game against Juventus on Wednesday. He was asked about how Vinicius Jr reacts to conflicts,
to which he said: “It’s not always easy when an entire stadium is after you, when players are hitting you. He’s been improving. They’re trying to take you out of the game. I think he’s learned to live with it and even unnerve opponents. I think that’s fine. It’s what Diego Costa did when I was at Atleti, or Hazard did at Chelsea.
“Many of you have made fun of him. He arrived as a child… the other day, without provocation, but they’re trying to unhinge him. His entry was very good. His response was also good. He has to keep doing what he does.”
Courtois on Juventus
“Juventus is a European giant. They’re not on a good run, but that makes them more dangerous. The preparation is the same: rest, work, train, and eat well. The fans will be important. We’ve seen that if the Bernabéu is a volcano, it impresses the opponent. It gives us extra energy.”
Courtois on 300 games for Real Madrid
“Very proud. When I was a kid, I dreamed of playing for Real Madrid… well, imagine 300.”
Courtois on whether the game in Miami is tampering with the competition
“Yes, absolutely. It’s easy to talk about the NFL, which is voted on by all the owners, the NBA, which has 82 games… Here it’s the opposite; a league does it because it wants to. It doesn’t comply with the players’ agreement. And it’s not the same because it’s not playing away from home. Villarreal away is a difficult game, and everyone should play at home and away.”
Courtois on Real Madrid’s defense
“Going back to the derby, the goals came from set pieces… I think we can improve on that. We’re defending much better with eleven men. Against Getafe, it was a ‘quiet’ game, but I had to be there in those final seconds.”
Courtois on La Liga not showing the protests
“I don’t know what surprises you. They’ve been doing this for a while. I’ve already said I’ve never seen a president speak the way they did… It’s censorship, it’s manipulation, it’s serious.”
Courtois on Arsene Wenger’s offside rule
“I don’t know if it’s the best. I think there are other things for fluidity, for example. Sometimes a millimeter offside doesn’t help you score, but how is VAR going to measure the exact space between the defender and the striker? Where do you draw the line? Teams might want to defend deeper, maybe that’s why there won’t be more goals.”
Courtois on the importance of finishing in the top eight
“It makes things easier and relaxes you for a week in February, without two games. A win would give us nine out of nine. The better you start, the better you finish. The lesson of the defeat against Milan this season is a good one.”
