Courtois: "We're playing against one of Europe's top teams and we have to approach it properly from the very first minute"
"I'm very proud to reach 300 games for Real Madrid," said the goalkeeper.
Thibaut Courtois spoke to the media ahead of the Real Madrid-Juventus Champions League matchday three clash at the Bernabéu (Wednesday, 9:00 pm CEST): "I'm very proud to reach 300 games. When I was a kid, I dreamed of playing one game, and to be able to reach 300 makes me feel very proud. Tomorrow we face a European great. They're not on a good run lately, but it makes them more dangerous. We know they have a lot of quality defensively and offensively, and it's going to be a tough game that we have to approach properly from the first second. We have to show that we're at home, and I hope we get a good result."
Laporta's words on the refereeing
"He says that because he has to, because of the whole Negreira case. Since I've been at Real Madrid, I've never noticed anything that has favoured us; on the contrary. In the end, referees are human, like players and coaches, and they can make mistakes, but I don't feel that they have benefited us at any time."
Miami game
"It adulterates the competition, totally. Then it's easy to talk about NBA and NFL. The NBA has 82 games and at the end you play the playoff where nothing changes, and in the NFL it's voted by all the owners of the teams. Also, they've doubled the games because it benefits them and they want it and it's been voted on by everybody. Here it's the opposite. They put it in because it's in their interest to do that and it adulterates the competition, plus it doesn't comply with the players' agreement. It doesn't comply with that and I don't think it's right. We have to play at home and away. It's not the same to play a team at home and away. In LaLiga, playing away from home is very complicated, as has happened to us against Real Sociedad or Getafe. They are complicated games and Villarreal away is a difficult game. Then you can win or lose, but everyone has to play at home and away from home except for force majeure."
On whether the defensive level of the Whites is better than last season
"They are different moments. In the derby, many of the goals came from set pieces, where we can still improve. One was from the first corner, the other a throw-in, the third a penalty after a corner. The fourth was a free kick, and the fifth was in the last second. We're defending very well with 11, with good intensity, and we're trying to push forward. I have to be ready. Against Getafe, it was a quiet game and as a goalkeeper of a big team you have to be there too."
Censure of the players' protests
"I don't know why you're surprised. He's been doing these things for a long time, making public replies on social networks. I said it after the Club World Cup. I have never seen a president of a league in any sport talk like that. To hide it and also to change why we are protesting is censorship and manipulation, and that is serious."
Do you think that sometimes Vini Jr. is treated unfairly?
"Yes, I think so. He's young... well, he's not that young anymore. But even at 18 years old, many of you have even made fun of him. It's not easy. The other day in Getafe, he didn't do anything wrong, and from the first second, they were against him. It's normal that he reacts sometimes. I think that without provocation and they had it in for him from the beginning, and in the end, he unsettled the opposition. Against an opponent who wanted to do that to you, he had a good response. His entrance helped to generate more danger. They looked for him, but he didn't help them find that goal. It's very unfair to him. I think he's a great guy, he's got a lot of experience and he's got to keep doing his thing and be good to help the team. He's had a good start to the season, with a lot of goals and assists, and I expect more of that tomorrow and on Sunday."
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Impact of Wenger law on offside
"I don't know if it's the most necessary change football needs, time wasting. For example, the goalkeepers do the 8-second thing to us, but then there is a throw-in where one team wins 30 seconds. For the fluidity of the games, other things can be changed beforehand. I do agree with the offside issue. Sometimes a millimetre offside doesn't help you to score a goal, but what's next, that we measure the distance between the defender's body and the striker's body? I don't know how the VAR is going to do that, if it's going to take the whole frame. It's going to be complicated. Maybe some teams put the line further forward to play with that advantage, but if the striker can get you that advantage in space, maybe teams can defend further back. You're not always going to get more goals by changing the rule. In Belgium, they cancelled a goal the other day, and you hardly saw the difference. There, I agree that the goal should count, but also where you set the bar."
Do you think that Vini Jr. thrives in with conflict?
"It's not always easy to have a whole stadium gunning for you, all the players giving you stick. He's been improving. It's something I saw with Hazard too, when I played for Chelsea with him. It was the same profile. They look to take you out of the game. If Vini Jr. has learned that, to live with conflict and even unsettle opponents, it's good. I had Diego Costa in my team, and he had to improve in that sense. At Chelsea, he drove the Premier League defenders crazy. If Vini Jr. can do that and concentrate on his game, it's perfect for us. It's important that he's focused on the game, on what the coach is asking for and playing his game, because he's one of the best in the world."
How do you prepare for such a demanding week?
"The preparation is the same; it's to train well, recover well, eat well, and be ready tactically. We ask the fans to give us their full support. We have seen many examples in the past years that when the Bernabéu is a volcano, it impresses the opponents, even if they have a lot of experience. When there is a difficult moment in the game, we ask them to keep supporting us, because that gives us extra energy to keep fighting the whole game".
Is the main objective to finish in the top 8 at this stage?
"It's our goal to be in the top 8. It makes it easier for you and relaxes you for a week in February by not playing two more games. That's why it's important to win tomorrow and start 9 out of 9. Then we have a difficult game against Olympiacos, then City come here, but the better you start the better you finish. Last year we lost to Lille and Milan, and that's a good lesson for this season."
On the dressing room and Vini Jr.
"What I want is for him to play well, to keep doing the things he feels like doing to bring out his best version. I want him to keep scoring goals and assists and help the team. The other day he didn't do anything wrong. The opponents went after him, hitting him when he didn't have the ball. With the second yellow, the defender came from behind, and finally, the referee defended Vini Jr. a little bit, and we don't let defenders hit other players when they are not on the ball. The second card was more than deserved."