Vinícius targeted, Courtois comes out fighting for his teammate!

Real Madrid: Courtois steps up to defend Vinícius!

Europe 21 October 2025 at 10:54

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI

News Editor

Vinícius targeted, Courtois comes out fighting for his teammate!

19.10.25 FT LaLiga Spain

Getafe

Real Madrid

At the center of criticism after Real Madrid's hard-fought victory away at Getafe (0-1), Vinícius Júnior can count on heavyweight support in the merengue dressing room: Thibaut Courtois. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Champions League clash with Juventus, the Belgian goalkeeper made it clear he was ready to stand up for his teammate, who is often singled out by rival fans and defenders.

"It's not easy. At 18, a lot of you mocked him. He did nothing wrong. They were against him. It's normal for him to react. They've targeted him from the start and that unsettled the opposition. He responded well. His introduction made us more dangerous. They're always on his case. People are really unfair to him," Courtois said.

The Madrid shot-stopper also made a point of highlighting the Brazilian forward's progress:

"He's a fantastic kid who just needs to keep doing his job. He's improved and learned how to handle conflict. If he unsettles opponents, that's perfect for us. The most important thing is that he stays focused and plays his game. He's one of the best in the world."