Real Madrid’s 4-1 Champions League win over RB Leipzig sent them into Sunday’s Clásico with momentum, but Thibaut Courtois used the Bernabéu night to raise wider concerns about refereeing and VAR in Spain. The goalkeeper said Madrid do not fear the officials at Camp Nou, where Barcelona will host the match at 21:00, while urging greater consistency in the use of video review.
A European win, then attention turns to Barcelona
Courtois spoke after Madrid’s victory over Leipzig at the Santiago Bernabéu, with the next domestic test already looming large. Asked whether his side were worried about the refereeing they could receive against Barcelona, the Belgian said he retained faith in the officials’ intentions.
“We are not afraid of the refereeing against Barcelona,” Courtois said. “I trust referees. They go onto the pitch trying to do their job as well as possible, although they are human and can make mistakes. Hopefully those mistakes do not always go in one direction, and VAR intervenes for the situations it was created to address.”
His confidence was accompanied by criticism of how VAR has developed in LaLiga since its introduction in 2018. Courtois believes reviews are being used too readily for incidents that do not meet the original threshold of a clear and obvious error.
“My feeling is that, in LaLiga, VAR gets involved too much in matters where it should not,” he said. “There is also sometimes a lack of clarity compared with what we are told at the beginning of the season. We sit through an hour-long refereeing presentation, then a week later there are mistakes and strange decisions.”
Courtois nevertheless offered a more conciliatory final word before the trip to Camp Nou, stressing that errors can happen without questioning the integrity of those making decisions.
“I am optimistic and I believe they are honest when they take the field,” he said. “People can make mistakes, and VAR is there for that. That is all.”
Mourinho demanded more without the ball
- Madrid took control of the Champions League meeting with Leipzig and ultimately won 4-1 at the Bernabéu.
- At half-time, Mourinho was dissatisfied with his team’s defensive work and told the players that their collective responsibility had to improve.
- Courtois said the message was not an explosive dressing-room confrontation, but the manager made clear that Madrid had not done enough when Leipzig had possession.
- Madrid improved after the interval, satisfying Mourinho with their response away from the ball while he had already been pleased by their work in possession.
“He was unhappy with our defensive attitude,” Courtois explained. “He said the collective responsibility had to be better, and we improved that in the second half. He was content with the ball, but not without it. It was not a huge telling-off, but he was not happy.”
Courtois backs Vinicius to recover his best level
The goalkeeper also addressed Vinicius Junior’s mood after being substituted. Courtois said competition for places is part of elite football, though he recognised that the Brazilian had been affected by the match.
“When I saw how he was after coming off, it was clear he was disappointed,” Courtois said. “Those are decisions and there is a lot of competition. That is football. But he showed energy, created chances and had some good shots. That is the path he needs to follow.”
Courtois believes Vinicius is working towards a return to his highest standard and said the Madrid support can help him through a less productive spell.
“Only two players have been at their best virtually every season: Cristiano and Messi,” he said. “Even they were criticised at certain times, despite being two of the greatest in history. Vini knows he has played almost everything for nine years, and we have to help him find that level again. In training he is the first one who is happy, committed and trying to get back to his best.”
For Madrid, the Leipzig result has therefore delivered more than a European win. It has created a platform for a decisive week: defensive standards have been challenged, Vinicius has been publicly backed, and the Clásico now waits with the debate over LaLiga officiating already firmly in the background.
