MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said his side would not mope about their growing list of absentees after a 0-0 draw at struggling Getafe on Sunday dented their title bid.
Real have coped well despite losing a number of influential players in recent weeks and made the short trip to Getafe on the back of a 2-1 win over Barcelona last week and a 0-0 draw at Liverpool to make the Champions League semi-finals.
Their personnel problems caught up with them against Getafe, however, as they were missing nine first team players and were fortunate to leave with a draw, which left them three points behind leaders Atletico Madrid with seven games left.
"You find strength in adversity and now is not the time to cry about all the players we have missing. We have to stand tall. Every player who is at Real Madrid is here for a reason," Courtois told the club's official television channel.
"We are a little disappointed with the point but it's not easy when you're playing so many games."
Suspensions to midfield anchor Casemiro, defender Nacho Fernandez plus a fresh injury to Ferland Mendy left them further depleted, while Federico Valverde also had to miss the game after a close contact tested positive for COVID-19.
The litany of absences meant coach Zinedine Zidane had to call upon youngsters Antonio Blanco and Sergio Arribas from the bench, both of whom had played 90 minutes for Real's reserve side the day before.
Courtois added: "We might be stretched to the limit right now but we were not thinking too much about it. We just have to recover well and rest well, that's all we can do."
Be Social
Comments
Leave a Comment