Real Madrid: 5 bold predictions for the rest of 2019

Thibaut Courtois will win back the starting job

It may seem foolish to be optimistic about Thibaut Courtois, but the Belgian goalkeeper gets unfairly scapegoated by fans. There are games where Courtois surrenders goals because of the flow of the game, in addition to defensive breakdowns. With the way Real play, especially their usage of their fullbacks in the attack, they are vulnerable to counterattacks. That can leave their keepers exposed, and Courtois isn’t as active in coming out of the goal to stifle counters.

That’s a stylistic difference in Courtois’ play that maybe doesn’t fit Real on the surface. But it’s worth noting that Fede Valverde’s emergence as a real workhorse in midfield has helped Madrid tighten up against counters. The only goals they allowed against Granada – and honestly, the only chances Granada created – were off of mistakes on defense. First, poor ball control and a foul from Alphonse Areola for a penalty, and then secondly a marking error by Raphael Varane on a corner kick.

I believe Courtois will become galvanized by the goalkeeping competition with loan acquisition Areola and reassert himself as Zidane’s top choice in goal. As Real’s defense continues to tighten up and the midfield improves with Valverde’s box-to-box running, Courtois will have an easier job in goal. His confidence will grow as the clean sheets continue to pile up, and he’ll remind Real Madrid fans why he was once regarded as one of the top three goalkeepers in world football.