Courtois praises Real Madrid’s fightback and backs Vinicius Junior to keep trying

Thibaut Courtois played a decisive role as Real Madrid recovered from behind to beat AEK Athens 3-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Belgium goalkeeper made three important saves in the first half to keep Real Madrid in the contest before his team completed a late turnaround in their fourth league-phase match.

The victory moved Real Madrid to 12 points, level with leaders Paris Saint-Germain but behind them on goal difference, and kept their hopes of finishing in the top eight alive.

“We knew it would be a complicated match because the opposition had a lot of intensity, and the atmosphere in the stadium was excellent,” Courtois told Marca. “They put us under a lot of pressure during the first 15 minutes.”

Real Madrid twice found themselves having to respond after falling behind. Courtois said the team reacted quickly after AEK Athens scored again, with the equaliser arriving soon afterwards.

“We tried to score a second goal but were unable to do so, and then they scored,” he said. “However, our reaction was good and we managed to make it 2-2 quickly.”

For Courtois, the comeback reflected a defining feature of Real Madrid’s identity. He pointed to the team’s previous recovery against Roma as another example of its refusal to give up.

“Believing until the end is part of this club’s DNA,” he added. “It is something beautiful, just as it was against Roma.”

The goalkeeper also underlined the importance of collecting all three points as Real Madrid attempt to secure a direct place in the Champions League last 16.

Under the competition’s new format, the top eight teams in the league phase qualify directly for the last 16, while sides finishing from ninth to 24th must go through a play-off. Real Madrid did not finish in the top eight in either of the first two seasons played under the system.

“These are extremely important victories,” Courtois said. “In theory, it is a game you have to win, but it is important for staying in contention for the top eight. We have to win and remain in that race, after failing to finish among the top eight in the previous two seasons.”

Courtois also offered his support to Vinicius Junior, who has faced tightly organised defences during the campaign. The goalkeeper said the whole squad remained confident in the Brazilian forward’s ability.

“The entire team trusts him and he has to keep trying,” Courtois said. “The opposition defends well and puts two or three players in front of him. That is not easy for him, or for Yan Diomande or Kylian Mbappe. We trust Vinicius, and competition is important.”