Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois on injury, Carlo Ancelotti and taking on Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup
Monday, August 12, 2024
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After a season troubled by injuries, Thibaut Courtois is fit and raring to go against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup, telling UEFA.com: "We know it'll be a tough one, but we're really going to try to win it."
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Struck down by an ACL injury on the eve of last season, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois might have let his head drop, but the Belgian international worked hard to recover and was rewarded with a clean sheet and a winners' medal in his side's UEFA Champions League final victory against Dortmund.
As the 32-year-old prepares to start a new campaign with Madrid's UEFA Super Cup showdown against Atalanta in Warsaw on 14 August, he spoke to UEFA.com about resilience, competition records and the benefits of playing under coach Carlo Ancelotti.
On how he is feeling ahead of the new campaign
Everything is fine. I'm in shape and focused on the next season. The last month of the last season was fantastic for me with the [Champions League] final on 1 June. I am happy with how I finished the season after a difficult start. And, this season, I've started pre-season well. I hope everything continues this way.
On recovering from injury in time for the Champions League final
I'm quite a good patient. I'm always working to get back. If you want to come back from injury, that's what you've got to do – have that positive attitude. You can't go back in time and think, "I should've done this, I should've done that." No, if you're injured, you've got to be focused on getting fit.
I always want to come back as strong as possible. I remember saying to a friend when I got home after getting injured, "I'm going to be back in time to play the final of the Champions League." He said, "You're crazy, you can't say that yet." But sometimes it's good to have a point on the horizon to work towards.
On the Super Cup game against Atalanta
Everyone in the squad got to the latter stages of their respective tournaments (EURO 2024 and the Copa América), but the guys know how things work around here – we work hard. We'll try to be ready for it. We're already going through tactical sessions, even though not everyone's here yet. But we'll be ready.
Atalanta are a good side. They press all over the park; we played against them a few years ago in the Champions League and it was a tough game. So, we know it'll be a tough one, but we're really going to try to win it. It's what makes us us. Of course we want to win it.
On Madrid potentially becoming the first six-time Super Cup winners
We don't really pay too much attention to records. Naturally, with the team we have, which includes many youngsters who are eager to win trophies and new trophies, I'm sure we'll do everything we can to win. If that means breaking yet another record, it's a nice bonus, but that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is to try to win this trophy. We know we can expect a tough game against Atalanta and that we need to be ready.
On Carlo Ancelotti
Above all, he's a great man, a great character and a great manager. He strikes the right balance between giving us freedom and telling us the tactics he wants. He doesn't just talk tactics, but he gives our players like Vinícius [Júnior], Rodrygo and [Luka] Modrić a lot of freedom. You need their natural genius. You can't box them in with too many tactics. You need their genius to come out.
He manages the dressing room really well – the training sessions too. We work really hard but laugh hard too. We have a great time. We work hard but we get the rewards for it, and I love it, so I really think he's one of the best managers of all time.
All about the Super Cup
