Amidst all the talks surrounding Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr, there happens to be another player who does not get talked about a lot.
The man in question is a certain Thibaut Courtois, who will be the key to Real Madrid’s success this season, including the upcoming match against Mallorca.
Mallorca’s forwards face a daunting task as they prepare to take on Courtois who has been in remarkable form since returning from injury.
Recent record a perfect example
The Belgian has been an absolute force, keeping clean sheets in his last six matches, with Cadiz, Granada, Alaves, Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund, and Atalanta all failing to score against him.
The last time Courtois conceded a goal in a competitive match for Madrid was on June 4, 2023, against Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Since then, Courtois has gone 554 minutes without conceding a goal for Madrid, and 582 minutes if we include his appearances for the Belgian national team.
There were inevitable questions about how Courtois would perform after a significant and prolonged injury. However, he put those doubts to rest. Courtois returned to action stronger than ever, delivering outstanding performances.
Since making his comeback, Courtois has made a total of 19 saves across six matches, averaging almost 3 saves per match. In the UEFA Super Cup, he made a decisive save early in the second half, denying Pasalic and ensuring Real Madrid’s victory against Atalanta.
Personal records in sight
With La Liga now underway, Courtois faces the challenge of securing the fifth piece of what could be a historic septuple for Real Madrid.
Individually, Courtois has his sights set on winning his fourth Zamora Trophy, having previously won three with Atletico Madrid and one with Real Madrid in the 2019-20 season.
To achieve this, his first objective is to extend his clean sheet streak to seven matches, a feat he has yet to accomplish during his time with Madrid.
Along the way, he could also surpass his personal record of 710 minutes without conceding a goal, set during his time with Chelsea and Belgium in late 2016.