Real Madrid Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois Has Emphasized The Importance Of His Side’s Opening Champions League Victory Against Olympique Marseille At The Santiago Bernabéu, Labeling It A Crucial First Step Toward A Strong European Run.
Reflecting On The Match, Courtois Pointed To The Mistakes Of Last Year — When Home Defeats To Milan And Lille Proved Costly — As Key Motivation For Madrid’s Improved Start This Time Around.
“Winning These Matches At Home Takes You A Long Way. We Learned That Last Year When We Lost Here To Milan And Also Lost To Lille. It’s Important To Start Well And In The End We Deserved To Get The Win,” Courtois Said.
Although Both Goals Came From The Penalty Spot, The Belgian Stopper Argued That Real Madrid’s Attacking Play Deserved More.
“We Created A Lot Of Openings And The Goals Came From Two Penalties. Our Performance Deserved More. We Created A Lot Of Danger To Score Goals From Open Play And Not From Penalties. In The End, The Match Got Complicated,” He Explained.
Courtois Acknowledged A Dip In Madrid’s Second-Half Intensity But Praised The Team’s Ability To Hold Firm: “The Gaffer Asked Us To Do The Same After The Break, But They Pressed A Bit Less And Closed Down The Lines. We Were Poor With The Ball In The First 20 Minutes Of The Second Half And Found The Second Half Harder Than The First. It’s A Good Win To Start With.”
Courtois Also Offered A Glimpse Into New Manager Xabi Alonso’s Demands, Particularly The Focus On Collective Defensive Discipline.
“When You Don’t Defend With Eleven, The Whole Team Suffers. Xabi Alonso Is Very Keen For The Wingers, Mbappé Or The Attacking Midfielders To Get Back Quickly Behind The Ball, And That Makes A Big Difference. That’s The Difference Between Whether They Think You’re Dangerous Or Not. We’ve Done Pretty Well So Far, And That’s The Approach.”
The Belgian Revealed That His Own Role Has Evolved Under Alonso, Highlighting A Tactical Adjustment: “The Manager Also Asks Me To Play Further Forward, And That’s What’s Changed Compared To Last Year.”
With Three Points Secured At The Bernabéu, Courtois Believes Real Madrid Are Better Positioned To Avoid The Slip-Ups Of Last Season. The Combination Of Clinical Finishing, Improved Defensive Work, And Tactical Tweaks Under Alonso Could Prove Decisive As Los Blancos Aim For Another Deep Run In Europe.
⚽ Takeaway: Real Madrid’s Winning Start, Backed By Courtois’ Confidence And Alonso’s Tactical Discipline, Suggests A Stronger, More Focused Champions League Campaign This Season.
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