Courtois admits Real is difficult to catch up with Barca
"You have to be honest, Real have no chance of winning La Liga, although we will continue to fight to the end," Courtois said after the loss in round 26 of La Liga.
According to the Belgian goalkeeper, Barca must lose at least four matches, and Real must win the remaining 12 rounds to protect the throne. "Nothing is impossible, but the truth is very difficult," Courtois added.
At the Camp Nou on the evening of March 19, Real took the lead thanks to Ronald Araujo's counter-kick, but lost back when Sergi Roberto and Franck Kessie broke through the net at the end of each half, respectively. This result made Real let Barca widen the gap to 12 points, when the season had 12 rounds left.
According to Courtois, the El Clasico match on March 19 was balanced with the opportunity to be divided equally between the two teams. The 30-year-old goalkeeper also regretted that Real could not preserve the early lead and Marco Asensio's goal was denied by offside. "We attacked high to win, but left a lot of space for Barca to counterattack and concede goals," he added.
With five saves, Courtois was awarded 8 points by Whoscored - the highest on Real's side. The Belgian goalkeeper is satisfied with his performance, but the most important emphasis is on winning three points with Real. He wants to take revenge with Real when he rematches Barca in the semi-final second leg of the King's Cup on April 5, also at Camp Nou. In the first leg, Real lost 0-1 by Eder Militao's counter-kick.
Courtois is also ambitious to defend the Champions League title - where Real beat Liverpool in the round of 16 and will meet Chelsea in the quarterfinals. The first leg will take place at the Bernabeu on April 12 and the return leg will take place in England a week later.
Meanwhile, Federico Valverde admitted Barca entered the game better and created more chances in the first half. According to the Uruguayan midfielder, Barca lost physical strength and could not maintain the game in the second half, but Real had to pay the price for not taking advantage of the opportunity. He also refused to blame VAR for denying Asensio's goal.
"I just look at the whole team, our pride. We have to focus on ourselves, play and try to win the rest of the games," Valverde said. "We will not give up La Liga. As long as there is a chance, we have to fight. Being determined in La Liga will help us build a positive spirit and enter the Champions League with that desire."
