At the end of Tuesday’s session as Real Madrid began preparations for the Champions League final, a group of players gathered at one end of Valdebebas training ground and took turns rattling off shots, cheering the best and laughing at the worst. Standing in their way, also rotating, were three goalkeepers but Thibaut Courtois was not among them and maybe it was better that way. This is the man Carlo Ancelotti told to ease off in training for the good of the team, joking: “I say to him: ‘You have to give our forwards more confidence because you always save every shot they take.’”
After Real Madrid’s first Champions League match this season, Courtois said: “It’s good for them to see that it’s not easy to score against me.” He at least was talking about the opponents and as usual he was right. It would also become a recurring theme. Internazionale had taken 14 shots in the first half and not scored. By full time the Belgian had made eight saves. Now he is up to 50.
