Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois talked to Real Madrid TV and shared his thoughts on the ongoing preseason stage barely a week ahead of the season opener against Espanyol in La Liga.
“We need to get in shape and continue preparing. The team is doing well. Yesterday was a good win. Everyone is getting into rhythm, the young players are shining, and that’s nice too. In the end, it’s about preparing because the start of the league is coming quickly, and it’s going to be tough with challenging matches, so the start is important. Hopefully, we’ll start well, finish August with 9 out of 9 points, and keep going,” he said.
Courtois also talked about reuniting with José Mourinho.
“Mourinho is a coach who demands a lot, discipline, and prioritizes the group over individualities. For me, these are important aspects to win. He is a great coach and, as a person, he is very approachable, says things as they are, and I like that. I believe this is the direction we need to take. We were together at Chelsea, and we won the Premier League together. I have good memories of him, and I’m happy to be under his guidance again. We hope to work well together and have great years here,” he explained.
The Belgian goalkeeper concluded his brief interview by talking about how unusual it is to have this kind of preseason stage where players keep rejoining the squad at different times due to the World Cup.
“We are very motivated. Personally, I want to win titles. It’s important for the team, the fans, and the club to win again. After the World Cup and the injury, I was eager to feel good quickly, and that has been the case, so I’m ready for training tomorrow. There are quite a few new players; some we know from having played against them, but in the end, the World Cup ended very late this year, and it’s not easy for the coach as everyone is arriving little by little. He gave everyone a good rest, which is important to clear the mind because it’s a very long year, and if you start too quickly, injuries come sooner. We’ll get into rhythm quickly because we haven’t stopped for long, and we’re going to be fine. Everyone is eager to be together again and fight for a new season,” he said.