Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid’s goalkeeper, praised his team’s extraordinary mental toughness, affirming that Real Madrid never gives up, following the thrilling and hard-fought 3-2 victory over Greek team AEK Athens on Wednesday evening, in the UEFA Champions League. Courtois explained, in statements reported from the Greek capital, that the team was fully aware of the difficulty of facing AEK Athens, known for their fierce style and strong pressing from the start. He pointed out that the opponents had four dangerous chances in the first quarter of the match, reflecting the strength of the Greek team’s performance.
The Belgian goalkeeper added that Real Madrid handled the flow of the match very effectively, managing to equalize twice, which reflects their positive response and persistence until the final moments. Courtois confirmed that the secret of this comeback lies in the deep belief in the team’s ability to achieve victory until the end, a characteristic that has always defined Real Madrid, comparing it to their previous match against Roma where the team also never gave up. He considered this victory an important step towards concluding the group stage among the top eight teams in the standings.
In response to a question about his Brazilian teammate Vinicius Junior needing confidence, Courtois affirmed that Vinicius has the team’s full confidence, noting that the strong defense of the Greek team made it difficult for all players, including Vinicius and Kylian Mbappé. He explained that coach José Mourinho adopts a rotation policy for the squad, giving all players the chance to participate and prove themselves, which he deemed very positive for the team.
Courtois concluded his statements by emphasizing that Real Madrid never gives up and succeeded in achieving their fourth consecutive victory in the UEFA Champions League, securing a perfect record thanks to Federico Valverde’s rocket goal in the 92nd minute, which crushed the hopes of the Greek team who had taken the lead twice during the match, confirming Real Madrid’s top position in the group. This hard-fought victory strengthens the team’s standing in the competition and pushes them forward toward achieving their goals in the continental tournament.
