Courtois: We Did Not Execute the Coach's Plan, and We Are Happy with the Return of the Duo
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois appeared in a press statement after the 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals of the Club World Cup.
The Belgian goalkeeper said: "They always start strong; we did not execute the coach's plan as we should. We wanted to play, but they easily found the free player while pressing, especially in the first half. In the second half, when the pressure eased, the situation improved a bit; the first two goals somewhat decided the match."
He added in his remarks: "It's a tough loss, but it's a loss we learn from. Sometimes, taking a hit like this can be useful for correcting mistakes and developing. They won the Champions League and are in excellent form."
He emphasized: "From my perspective, we were always a step behind; everyone was out of position, and that's how the team loses. They run forward, and you have to run backward. We were not close to them at any moment. When you are spread out on the field and they are organized, things become very difficult."
Regarding the return of Carvajal and Militao: "We are very happy for their return. We were able to see them back on the pitch. This is a positive thing for them and for the new season. It's great for a player to feel that he is back again. At the same time, it is sad to see Vazquez and Modric leave; both are legends of the team. Modric always leaves the pitch to the applause of the fans, and we will miss him a lot."
The Belgian goalkeeper said: "They always start strong; we did not execute the coach's plan as we should. We wanted to play, but they easily found the free player while pressing, especially in the first half. In the second half, when the pressure eased, the situation improved a bit; the first two goals somewhat decided the match."
He added in his remarks: "It's a tough loss, but it's a loss we learn from. Sometimes, taking a hit like this can be useful for correcting mistakes and developing. They won the Champions League and are in excellent form."
He emphasized: "From my perspective, we were always a step behind; everyone was out of position, and that's how the team loses. They run forward, and you have to run backward. We were not close to them at any moment. When you are spread out on the field and they are organized, things become very difficult."
Regarding the return of Carvajal and Militao: "We are very happy for their return. We were able to see them back on the pitch. This is a positive thing for them and for the new season. It's great for a player to feel that he is back again. At the same time, it is sad to see Vazquez and Modric leave; both are legends of the team. Modric always leaves the pitch to the applause of the fans, and we will miss him a lot."