Thibaut Courtois has offered a brutally honest verdict on Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory against Inter Milan, admitting the scoreline could have easily finished 4-4 at the Bernabeu.
“It Could Have Been 4-4!” – Courtois Issues Stark Warning After Real Madrid Survive Inter Scare
The Belgian goalkeeper was the hero for Los Blancos on Tuesday night, producing a series of crucial saves as Jose Mourinho’s men narrowly secured three points in their league phase opener.
Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde found the net for the home side, but Inter created enough chances to feel aggrieved by the result.
“We played against a great rival, one of the best teams in Europe,” Courtois told Movistar after the match.
“The match could have been 4-4. We took advantage of their mistakes and we had to close the game earlier, we didn’t and we suffered until the end.”
The shot-stopper didn’t hold back when analyzing his team’s performance, pointing out areas that require immediate improvement.
“Sometimes we lacked a little bit of control, a little bit of possession and a bit of calm. The game was too crazy at the end of the second half, it’s something to improve,” he added.
Real Madrid’s wastefulness in front of goal nearly proved costly, with Courtois forced into action on multiple occasions to preserve the lead.
The 32-year-old singled out one particular save from Hakan Calhanoglu’s powerful free-kick as a highlight of his display.
Courtois revealed that past experiences have shaped his approach to such situations.
“Rashford scored at my near post in El Clasico last season because I moved a little.
In the World Cup, when Lamine Yamal took a free kick, I stayed on my side of the goal and saved it,” he explained.
“I did the same today. If he scores and puts it over the wall, you have to applaud it, but I will not be moving from my side of the goal again.”
The victory keeps Real Madrid’s momentum building, but Courtois’s candid assessment suggests the Spanish giants still have work to do before they can consider themselves genuine contenders on all fronts.
