Courtois, Valverde react after Real Madrid 2-1 Marseille – ‘Winning these games at home takes you far’ | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso’s decision to bench Vinicius Jr for Real Madrid’s opening UEFA Champions League match of the campaign caught eyes from across the globe, but the men in white still managed to take all three points on the night.

The win, the team’s fifth consecutive positive result this season under Xabi Alonso, was far from pretty as the visitors gave the kings of Europe a run for their money.

Two penalties, however, helped them overcome a deficit and take all three points to kick off their UCL campaign with a 2-1 win.

Courtois’ two cents

Thibaut Courtois spoke to the media after the game and made it clear how such hard-fought victories were the games that made a dressing room stronger and more confident.

“Winning these games at home takes you far. We learned it last year when we lost here with Milan and we also lost to Lille. It is important to start well and in the end, we win deservedly,” the goalkeeper said.

“We created many occasions and the goals came from two penalties. Our team deserved more. We have created a lot of danger to score goals in play and not in penalties. In the end, the game has been complicated,” he added.

Speaking on whether Xabi Alonso asked for any tactical changes at half-time given how closely fought the game was, the Belgian said,

“The coach asked us to do the same after the break, but they pressed a little less and closed the lines.

“We were bad with the ball in the first 20 minutes of the second half and the second half cost us more than the first. Good victory to start with.”

Finally, the Belgian star opened up on the new defensive structure under Alonso and how it was critical for every player on the field to chip in with their part.

“You have to defend with eleven, the whole team. Xabi Alonso is very much on top of the wingers, Mbappe or the offensive midfielders quickly return behind the ball, and that changes a lot,” Courtois noted.

“That’s the difference between whether they think you’re dangerous or not. So far we have done quite well and that is the line. The coach also asked me to be more ahead and that’s what changes compared to last year,” he added.

Valverde’s thoughts

Valverde sees room for improvement. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Star midfielder Federico Valverde also addressed the media, and the Uruguayan star made it clear that the team had a lot to improve on.

“We played a great game. It happened to us the other day, expulsion sometimes plays a trick on you. We didn’t play the second half as we wanted, we did the first one much better. We have started by winning, which is the most important thing,” he said.

Praising the visitors for their performance and hitting out at his team for the clear mistakes, the captain said,

“The rival intervened so that we could not be the same during the 90 minutes. It is also our fault for trusting each other when the plays come out and we already believe that the game is won, when it is not.”

“We have to keep improving that, keep changing the attitude. We have to keep it much longer than we did today to enjoy the games more and so that they are calmer,” he added.

The player then spoke out on Dani Carvajal’s red card but refused to dive too deep into the topic.

“I’m not going to comment because we’re hot and we can say anything. You have to think coldly, see the cameras, and then reflect.”

“I don’t like to talk about referees, I focus on my team. We have to keep improving. The goals that have come in have done very well,” he added.

Finally, the midfield star credited Kylian Mbappe for already reaching 50 goals with Real Madrid, saying,

“It is a great joy that he continues to mark and feel comfortable. Our job is to get the balls a little more. That you have more options than you are having.”

“We have to focus on us doing things better as midfielders so that he has more opportunities than he has,” he added.

Source: Real Madrid website