Courtois talks Vinicius, El Clasico, Laporta, La Liga match in Miami ahead of Real Madrid vs Juventus | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s upcoming UEFA Champions League clash against Juventus holds a special significance for Thibaut Courtois.

The veteran Belgian goalkeeper is set to make his 300th appearance for Los Blancos – a milestone that speaks volumes about his consistency and importance to the club.

As part of his pre-match media duties, Courtois faced the press and spoke about a range of topics, from his journey at Madrid to refereeing controversies and Vinicius Jr’s fiery temperament.

When asked what it means to reach 300 matches and what’s most important for winning against Juventus, Courtois reflected emotionally on his journey with the club.

“When I was a kid, I dreamed of playing for Madrid. Reaching 300 games makes me feel very proud. Juve haven’t been on a good run lately, but it will be difficult.

“We’ll have to face it well and show that we’re at home, with intensity. That way we’ll get a good result,” he began saying

Courtois responds to Laporta’s refereeing comments

The goalkeeper was also questioned about Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s recent remarks regarding officiating in La Liga, particularly after Real Madrid’s narrow 1-0 win over Getafe – a match that saw Los Blancos reduced to nine men.

Courtois has reacted to Laporta’s comments. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Courtois, however, dismissed the idea that Madrid have benefited from refereeing decisions, saying such claims are misplaced.

“Laporta says what he has to say. The Negreira case… I’ve never noticed that we’ve been favored, quite the opposite.

“Referees are human and mistakes can happen. I don’t feel that we’ve benefited.”

On the controversial Miami match

The Real Madrid shot-stopper also weighed in on the ongoing debate about La Liga’s decision to host a league match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami – a move that has stirred controversy across Spanish football.

Courtois made it clear that he opposes the idea, insisting that it goes against the spirit of fair competition.

“It distorts the competition. Then it’s easy to talk about the NBA, NFL… The NBA has 82 games and then plays a playoff that doesn’t change anything. In the NFL, the owners of all the teams voted.

“Here, LaLiga puts it in because it suits them. It distorts the competition and doesn’t comply with the players’ agreement. We have to play at home and away.

“Playing at home is not the same as playing away. Playing away in LaLiga is very difficult, as we saw against Real Sociedad and Getafe. Villarreal away is tough.”

Courtois defends Vinicius Jr.

Courtois has defended Vinicius Jr. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Turning to the topic of Vinicius Jr, Courtois strongly defended his teammate following criticism of the Brazilian’s reaction to hostile treatment in the match against Getafe.

He reminded journalists of the unfair scrutiny the young forward has faced since his teenage years.

“It’s not easy. At 18 years old, many of you have made fun of him. He didn’t do anything wrong, he came on and they’re against him. It’s normal for him to respond.

“They’ve been targeting him from the start and he’s unnerved the opposition. He responded well. His entrance made us more dangerous. They’re targeting him.

“It’s very unfair on him. He’s a great guy who has to keep doing his thing. He’s had a great start to the season and I expect more of the same tomorrow and on Sunday,” he said.

Courtois went on to praise Vinicius’ growing mental strength and his ability to channel aggression positively on the pitch.

“It’s not always easy when the stadium is against you. When the players are giving you a hard time. He’s been improving. If he’s learned to cope with conflict and unnerve his opponents.

“Diego Costa drove Premier League defenders crazy because he did that. If Vini can do it, that’s perfect for us.

“The important thing is that he stays focused and plays his game. He’s one of the best in the world.”

On El Clasico preparation and Wenger Law

Courtois gave his opinion on the Wenger Law. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Speaking about preparation for El Clásico, Courtois explained that mental and tactical readiness remain key when facing Barcelona.

“The preparation is the same. You have to be tactically ready and they cheer us on like crazy. We’ve seen that when the Bernabéu is a volcano, it’s impressive.

“If there are difficult moments, we want them to keep supporting us. They give us that extra energy to keep fighting.”

The Belgian was also asked about the Wenger Law, which aims to reform offside decisions. Courtois expressed doubts about whether it is the right priority for football’s lawmakers.

“I don’t know if it’s the most necessary change. I think time wasting… Goalkeepers get eight seconds, but there are teams that gain 30 seconds on throw-ins.

“Other things need to be changed first. I agree that being a millimeter offside doesn’t benefit you.

“I don’t know how VAR is going to capture the exact frame. I don’t know if there will be more goals because we change the rules. Where do you draw the line?”

Finally, when asked about Real Madrid’s target in the Champions League group stage, Courtois underlined the benefits of topping the group and learning from past mistakes.

“It makes things easier and gives you a week’s break in February without having to play two more games.

“We started with nine out of nine and we have difficult away games against Olympiacos and City coming up. We lost last year and it was a good lesson for this season,” he concluded.

Source: AS