Courtois says Real Madrid must beat Barcelona to close six-point gap

Thibaut Courtois has made clear that Real Madrid have no alternative but to beat Barcelona in the upcoming El Clasico if they are to reduce the six-point gap between the sides in La Liga.

The Belgium goalkeeper spoke after Real Madrid’s 4-1 victory over Leipzig in the third round of the league phase of the Champions League. Courtois played an important role during the first half, making two significant saves to preserve his side’s clean sheet before the interval.

“I feel very good, I am happy and I am working well,” Courtois told Real Madrid TV, in comments reported by Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.

“I made two important saves to keep a clean sheet at that moment and go into half-time ahead, because the match can become complicated if you find yourself behind.”

Real Madrid took control after improving their defensive work following instructions from manager Carlo Ancelotti at half-time. Courtois said their response helped them produce a more effective performance after the break.

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

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

The 31-year-old also praised the competition for places within the Real Madrid squad. With most of the group available, Courtois believes the coaching staff have several options and that the internal battle is benefiting the players.

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

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

Courtois focuses on defensive display

Courtois said Real Madrid would take confidence into their meeting with Barcelona, but insisted that confidence must be converted into a result if they are to move closer to their rivals in the table.

“We need to reduce the difference with them, and that can only be achieved by winning,” he said.

“We will go into the match with confidence, and we hope to defend well so that we do not concede goals.”

Real Madrid also face a demanding run of fixtures, with four consecutive away matches scheduled before the international break. Courtois said the team hoped to win all of them.

The goalkeeper’s comments underline the importance Real Madrid are placing on their defensive performance before the El Clasico. The side recognise that attacking quality alone may not be enough against Barcelona, with defensive balance likely to be central to their attempts to collect points and reduce the deficit.

After nine rounds of La Liga, Real Madrid are third in the standings with 21 points. They trail leaders Barcelona by six points.