Real Madrid still struggling to keep clean sheets

Keeping a clean sheet remains a major challenge for Real Madrid: the club has managed it only twice in ten matches. Both came in wins, against Málaga (4-0) and Villarreal (1-0), at the Bernabéu.

Away from home, Elche (2-3), Atlético de Madrid (2-1) and Roma (3-4) have each scored more than once against the Madrid side. The match at the Olímpico de Roma also showcased Thibaut Courtois’s importance. The Belgian goalkeeper made the save of the match in the fourth minute: after a shot from the left, he punched the ball away, but it dropped back into the area and was collected by Mario Hermoso.

Despite the team’s defensive difficulties, Courtois remains at the highest level. He was decisive against Roma and is the only Real Madrid player to have started every match without ever being substituted.

Long-term injuries have also affected the defence: three of Real Madrid’s four players sidelined for an extended period, Militao, Mendy and Asencio, are defenders. The figures underline the challenge facing the team: to become more solid at the back and turn their goalkeeper’s interventions into matches without conceding.