Courtois: This matter was very important, and wearing the captain's armband for Real Madrid is an honor for me

Thibaut Courtois, the Belgian goalkeeper of Real Madrid, spoke about his team's 3-0 victory over Racing, confirming that a strong start was one of the main reasons for the triumph. He also expressed his happiness at matching Miguel Ángel's record, reaching 346 matches in the royal club's shirt.

Courtois said: "We started the match very well. I love playing here, it has been 15 years since I last played in this stadium. Their fans put a lot of pressure, and that forces you to match that intensity. We succeeded in that from the beginning, created a chance and got a penalty. Our rhythm dropped a bit starting from the 40th minute, and the opponent managed to pose a threat after we lowered our pace too much, but we defended well. We achieved the win and kept a clean sheet."

Regarding his recent save in the match: "It was a bad pass from Bernardo, and the ball stayed in that area, and I was able to move quickly, because balls that go between players' legs can be difficult sometimes. But we kept a clean sheet, and that always makes the job easier."

Regarding his captaincy, Courtois said: "It is a constant honor to wear the armband of the best club in the world. Sometimes I get the armband in the last minutes of matches, but I feel proud when I start the game as captain, as I did today."

Speaking about reaching 346 matches with Real Madrid to become the third goalkeeper with the most appearances in the club's history, Thibaut Courtois said: "It is a feeling of great pride. As I have always said, when I was a child, I watched Real Madrid, so playing 346 matches in this shirt is a great honor for me. I hope to have many more matches ahead of me. When I was young, I never imagined I would reach this place. Equalling Miguel Ángel's record is a great honor."

He concluded about reaching 6 consecutive wins: "This is very important. After the international break, we faced tough matches, but we are working well with a lot of strength and focus. We must remember what Lunin did last week; it is not easy for the second goalkeeper, but he made a great save. We are all ready to compete, and that is what makes us a great team. Now we have two tough matches ahead, and I hope we talk on Saturday about achieving eight consecutive wins and going into the break at the top of the table."