Courtois He was the Real Madrid player who spoke to the media at the press conference prior to tomorrow's match between Real Madrid and Shakhtar at 6:55 pm at the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium.
The Belgian goalkeeper spoke about the Champions League debut and the team's situation after the defeat against Cádiz.
The start of the Champions
“It is very important for us. It is something very special. The start has to be good, it is important to start winning, as it will serve us a lot throughout the season ”.
Your fitness
“I feel very good. I am in very good shape. I have continued working the same from day one until now. When you come to a new team, it takes time to adjust. I hope to continue helping the team day by day and continue like this ”.
Absence of Sergio Ramos
“It is something that will have to be seen tomorrow. He is the captain and of course he will be missed. Our squad is very large, but if you can't play there are more than qualified people ”.
Always being the best of the team, is it bad?
“Each one tries to do their job as best they can. I try to help the team in difficult moments. Now that we win fairer, it may be that my role is more noticeable ”.
In a softer team in defense
“I think it also depends against the teams we play. Cádiz, Valladolid and Levante defended very well and it is not easy to break those lines and we need to put a lot of people in front of the ball and missing a pass causes difficult counterattacks. Nothing happens to receive one more shot. We have to focus on continuing to work well ”.
Team strength
“I feel the team is just as solid. Teams change systems to play with us. It is not always like last year. It is modern football and there is a lot of quality in the League. We have kept a clean sheet 3 times, I think we are doing well ”.
They are not favorites for the Champions
“I fully trust this squad, I don't see it that way. We can win the Champions League. Madrid always starts as favorites in this competition, then it's up to us to prove it on the field. We have the quality to win it ”.
Arguments to compete in Champions
“I am sure it is. A season is very long. Last year we played good games and we just didn't pass. The team wants to win, to fight the Champions League. There are many other teams. We are one of the favorites, not the clear favorite. We are Madrid and we will always compete to win it like PSG, Bayern, Juve, Barça and many others. It's the beauty of the Champions League, there are the best. Madrid is going to be one of the favorites to win it ”.
League priority
“We always focus on all the competitions that we play and we try to go all the way. LaLiga is 38 games, from September to May, it is important to be well in the League to be well in the Champions League. And the other way around too. We are looking forward to doing well in both competitions. Winning a league is super nice and winning the Champions League is a dream for any player. We don't focus on one or the other. “
Lunin's competition
“He is a great goalkeeper, he has a great future. I see him training very well. Surely when he touches him he will do well. He is competition, he is a good goalkeeper. We push each other to improve and be ready for the weekend ”.
Fear of Covid
“Each country makes the decisions it has to make so that the leagues and the Champions League can be played. There are strict protocols and you can also play the second leg. It will depend on how the pandemic evolves. Hopefully it will get better for everyone, that we can play our games and that soon there may be an audience in the stadiums ”.