Courtois gets bigger

Real Madrid chose the Classic in their favor in the second half, but began to win in the first not losing it, thanks to a Thibaut Courtois immense that he supported his with three stops before the break. Three stops of different graduation: first, to a centered and satin shot of Messi; then, saving hand to Arthur in a hand to hand; and finally, I cleared a volley centered on Messi, appearing behind Sergio Ramos. The white plan in the first half did not go as expected by Zidane, but Courtois prevented Setién's tactics from having the same effect on the culé side. It is not a minor fact: Barcelona did not remain unmarked in a Classic league in the Bernabéu since October 2006 (2-0 with Capello on the bench, goals by Raúl and Van Nistelrooy).

Zidane himself, little given to individualize, could not help it: “We did two goals but above all we left the goal to zero. Thibaut was fundamental, especially in the first half. It's not just tonight, it's been quite a while. It is not that it saves us, but it does very well. With his presence under sticks we are all calmer. As we saw today, he made three great stops that keep us in the game. We all know that these stops, at that time, are very important. “The Belgian usually has no qualms about praising his own work and this time it was no different:”We defended well and when necessary I made good stops. Arthur makes me fine and I make a great stop with my hand. And I played well with my feet, giving the team peace of mind. “

The merit is twofold, because Madrid has managed to zero Barcelona this course; Nor did goals fit in the Camp Nou, in which the match did not pass the goalless draw. In the feud culé, Barça tried his luck twice and twice he found himself in front of Courtois, who has Madrid as the least scored team in LaLiga: 17 goals conceded in 26 games. Courtois has received 14 of those 17 goals (the other three put them to Areola) in 23 clashes, which yields an average of 0.61 goals by encounter. He leads the Zamora Trophy classification above Oblak (Atlético has received two more goals than Madrid, 19 of 26 duels): the Slovenian has an average of 0.73 goals per game, an important distance from the Belgian. Madrid does not get his goalkeeper Zamora since the 2007-08 season (Iker Casillas was); for the Belgian, if he succeeds, it would be the third after the two he took with Atlético de Madrid.

For Courtois, everything changed in Mallorca, on the ninth day: Until that match, including, Courtois conceded seven goals in seven LaLiga matches, transmitted insecurity at various times and had to hear dips at the Bernabéu. In fact, in Son Moix he fit in the only shot between vermilion sticks. Nothing to do with the last months, in which it has grown, leaving behind even better moments such as the goal of Morales in the Ciutat de Valencia against Levante, in the last day. He has stopped 30 of the last 36 shots he has been shot, 83%. In total in this domestic tournament, it has 46 stops in 60 shots, 77%. World-class goalkeeper numbers on which Madrid relies to continue aspiring to the title.