It’s one of the bastions of this Real Madrid who will play the Super Cup final this Sunday and has been chosen to appear before the media in the preview. Thibaut Courtois reaches the decisive match for a title that brings back good memoriess, since it was in the 2020 super cup final in Jeddah that the recovery of your best level, the one that he exhibits at the moment and that he endorsed again in the semifinals against Barcelona…
This has been the appearance of the Belgian goalkeeper before the media in Riyadh…
The key to beat Athletic. “It’s another final, we have a lot of players with experience in the finals, they too lately. But with our quality we hope to win.”
The controversy with the style of Madrid. “In the end we are not a team that plays on the counterattack, we do everything. When we have to defend, we do it, it depends on the rival. We started a lot with me, playing from behind, too. The other day it was normal to defend once we got ahead. Each one brings out their strong tricks”.
Ramos and Varane, now Alaba and Militao, what differences do you see. “In the end I’m comfortable with everything, Rapha and Sergio are cracks, now they’re not with us, but Mili, Nacho and Alaba… we’re on the right track, if we don’t fit in”
Ancelotti said that there was no need to motivate you for a final. “We know that tomorrow the coach is going to motivate us in the talk, we know that we want to win that final. A coach has to direct and approach us well, that’s what he does”.
The lighting of the stadium seems dim. “It is true that you see it a little less, it is not as clear as in the Spanish League, which seems to be daytime, it takes getting used to, it is different rather than bad”.
Hazard, how do they see him now that he hardly plays? “These are tough decisions, the wingers are playing well. I came to one side and the rest are fighting for the other. He wants to help us, I’m sure if he plays tomorrow he’ll help us win”.
Vinicius, increasingly important. “In the end, Vini has improved from the first almost four years ago to now, he is young, he is improving with confidence. I needed the goal and to be mentally free. Talking to Karim, those tips… He’s a talent. He’s plugging them in.”
The calendar, the third time against Athletic almost in a row and if there is contact with Raúl García. “It almost looks like the NBA. Yes (laughs). You know the rival better, but each game is different. With Raúl I always kept in touch with him and from time to time we talk”.
The final two years ago in Jeddah as a turning point. “The game that changed the most was Galatasaray in the Champions League, I made a lot of good saves. The final was more striking, it’s true, with that penalty in the shootout and a clean sheet. But last season was also good although we didn’t win This year I hope to continue along these lines with trophies at the end of the season, I hope to improve my game and in the end it will also be with titles”.