Real Keeper Courtois Prepared For Atletico Wrath Ahead Of Madrid Derby
8th February 2019
Real arrive on the back of four La Liga wins on the bounce and will jump above their opponents with a win at the Wanda Metropolitano
- Thibaut Courtois left Chelsea on bad terms last summer and he expects to feel the anger from Atletico Madrid too when he faces them in the white of Real Madrid on Saturday
- Courtois developed into one of the world's finest goalkeepers during three years on loan at Atletico but he will be up against his former club, and Chelsea team-mate Alvaro Morata, in what could prove a pivotal city derby this weekend
- Courtois helped Atletico crack the duopoloy of Barca and Real by winning La Liga in 2014, while also lifting the Europa League, Copa del Rey and Super Cup during his time at the club
MADRID, Spain-
Thibaut Courtois left Chelsea on bad terms last summer and he expects to feel
the anger from Atletico Madrid too when he faces them in the white of Real
Madrid on Saturday.
Courtois developed
into one of the world's finest goalkeepers during three years on loan at
Atletico but he will be up against his former club, and Chelsea team-mate
Alvaro Morata, in what could prove a pivotal city derby this weekend.
Real arrive on the back
of four La Liga wins on the bounce and will jump above their opponents with a
win at the Wanda Metropolitano. Atletico have fallen six points adrift of
Barcelona and are attempting to stay in touch.
For Courtois, a
reunion with Diego Simeone's side is not new -- he faced them twice for Chelsea
in the Champions League last season and again at the Santiago Bernabeu in
September -- but this will be his first experience in front of the Atletico
fans, in the colours of Real Madrid.
"It happens in
football, it's a derby and a derby here in Madrid is always heated,"
Courtois said.
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ALSO: El Clasico: Barca, Madrid Share Spoils In Cop Del Rey First Leg
"They'll
whistle and shout, everything you would expect, it's part of football. I will
always respect them. Now I'm playing for the other side."
Courtois helped
Atletico crack the duopoloy of Barca and Real by winning La Liga in 2014, while
also lifting the Europa League, Copa del Rey and Super Cup during his time at
the club.
"There are
still a lot of players that I know there, the goalkeeping coach, coaches,
they're all still the same," Courtois said.
"It's still a
special match, I respect the fans and the club a lot, in the end they gave me
the opportunity to play when I was just 19 years old. I only have good
memories."
Courtois' season has
taken a similar trajectory to his team's. There was a shakey start, when Julen
Lopetegui rotated him with Keylor Navas, before a clear improvement, with
Courtois now established as Santiago Solari's first choice.
Madrid have steadily
gained momentum under Solari too and, despite a dip at the start of the year,
have found their rhythm in recent weeks.
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ALSO: Six Things We Learned From Europe's Top Leagues This Weekend
"I feel good
now. It takes a little time to settle and to fully understand the team but it's
going very well now," Courtois said.
"If we want to
narrow the gap and win trophies, this is the month when we have to be at our
best."
Like Courtois,
Morata pushed hard for a return to Spain and was granted his wish last month,
after his form had plummetted at Chelsea. Eden Hazard could be next, with the
28-year-old expected to follow Courtois to Real in the summer.
"Eden is a
great player, one of the best players in the world," Courtois said.
"He is a great
friend of mine and if he comes here I would be very happy but at Chelsea, he's
a god there too."
After eight league
wins in a row, Barcelona have now drawn against Valencia and Real Madrid in the
Copa del Rey.
READ
ALSO: Atletico Blow Chance To Cut Barca Lead On Morata Debut
They face a tricky
trip to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday but Ernesto Valverde was hopeful on Wednesday
that Lionel Messi would be fit to play at San Mames.
Messi came off the
bench in the second half against Real but the Argentinian could return, along
with Ousmane Dembele, who has recovered from an ankle injury.
Fixtures (times GMT)
Friday
Real Valladolid v
Villarreal (2000)
Saturday
Getafe v Celta Vigo
(1200), Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid (1515), Espanyol v Rayo Vallecano (1730),
Girona v Huesca (2045)
Sunday
Leganes v Real Betis
(1100), Valencia v Real Sociedad (1515), Sevilla v Eibar (1730), Athletic
Bilbao v Barcelona (1945)
Monday
Alaves v Levante
(2000)