Courtois calls for defensive discipline as Real Madrid prepare for Barcelona clash

Thibaut Courtois says Real Madrid must beat Barcelona in the upcoming Clasico if they are to reduce the six-point gap to their rivals at the top of La Liga.

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 keep his side level before the interval.

“I feel very good. I am happy and working well,” Courtois told Real Madrid’s television channel, 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.”

Real Madrid opened the scoring against RB Leipzig and went on to secure a convincing victory, with Courtois saying the goal had a major influence on the contest.

He added that the players responded to their manager’s half-time instructions by improving their defending and applying greater pressure after the break.

“Scoring the first goal was important. At half-time, the manager asked us to improve defensively,” said Courtois.

“Our performance improved, we defended with greater intensity and we achieved a good victory.”

The goalkeeper also highlighted the competition for places within the Real Madrid squad, saying the availability of most of the team’s players gave the coaching staff a wide range of options.

“The team is in a very good condition and we can see that we can rely on almost all of the players,” he said.

“There is a lot of competition, and that makes all of us better.”

Courtois targets strong run before international break

Real Madrid face Barcelona in a match of major significance at the top of the Spanish league. Courtois believes confidence must now be converted into a positive result if his side are to close the distance between the two teams.

“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 hope to defend well so that we do not concede goals.”

Courtois also pointed to a demanding period ahead for Real Madrid, with the club scheduled to play four consecutive matches away from home. He said he hoped the team could win all four before the international break.

His comments underline the importance Real Madrid are placing on defensive organisation before facing Barcelona. The side will need to maintain its balance without relying solely on its attacking strength if it is to take points from the match and cut the deficit.

Real Madrid are third in the La Liga table with 21 points after nine rounds, six points behind leaders Barcelona.