Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has downplayed any suggestion of lingering tension with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal following last weekend’s heated Clásico, insisting their on-field exchanges are simply part of the rivalry’s long-standing drama.
Speaking to Spanish outlet ‘COPE’, Courtois addressed the verbal back-and-forth that marked the match, in which Real Madrid halted a run of Barcelona victories. The Belgian, one of the dressing room’s most senior figures, said the team needed to rediscover “a bit of that fire again from an enemy” after a difficult previous season.
“When you’re full of adrenaline you sometimes say things you shouldn’t,” he admitted. “But that’s part of a ‘Clásico’. Sometimes you need that atmosphere, and after last year, when we lost four times, we needed that fire. We had to go for them, because they didn’t exactly show us much respect when they were winning either.”
Yamal, 18, was especially vocal during and after the match, attracting attention both from the pitch and the press. Courtois, however, insisted that none of it has carried over beyond the final whistle.
“Carva or Huijsen are with him in the national team, and I’m sure there’s zero problem with Lamine,” he said. “These things stay on the pitch. If I saw him in a restaurant tomorrow, I’d say hello. There’s no issue between us.”
Despite the tensions of the fixture, Courtois also offered praise for the young forward, who has emerged as one of Barcelona’s brightest talents.
“For me, he’s a great player who will define an era at Barça,” he said. “He spoke a certain way, it added intensity to the match, and the press reacted.”
