Courtois says refereeing decisions are going against Real Madrid

Thibaut Courtois said that “some things” given on other pitches are not awarded for his team. The details of the interview also mention Valdebebas, Real Madrid, the Mundial and Onda Cero.

On refereeing, Courtois said he did not believe in a “dark hand” and did not consider himself suspicious. He nevertheless felt that decisions were being made against his team rather than in its favour. Recalling the season in which his team lost La Liga, he referred to four handballs. He also compared a VAR review for Atlético with a disallowed penalty that he believed should have been given for Sevilla, and lamented, in his words, explanations followed by contradictory decisions.

On the Negreira case, Courtois said that “everyone is waiting for the verdict” and called the matter serious. He also said the Ballon d’Or should go to Mbappé, pointing to his speed and goals. In Courtois’s view, the award should recognise the best player, not simply the one who has won the most; by that measure, he added, Carvajal should have won it two years earlier.

Courtois also praised Raphinha, whom he considers very important to his team and insufficiently recognised, adding that he would have to be stopped in a month. On the sanction involving City, he said the situation amounted to distorting the competition and that the club might not have been able to sign some of its players.

Finally, he said his son plays as a striker in the Madrid under-10s and that he would prefer him not to play in goal, to avoid comparisons. Courtois criticised the pressure some parents put on children, saying it can lead young players to leave football at 16, and concluded that children should enjoy themselves on the pitch.