Thibaut Courtois still unable to keep a clean sheet despite another heroic performance for Real Madrid | OneFootball

The Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has proven his credentials as one of the best goalies in the world beyond any doubt in the last few years.

After having missed almost the whole of the last season with an ACL tear, the Belgian is back starting games for Carlo Ancelotti this season.

He has come out crucial for Los Blancos at several points in this campaign, but still, his statistics do not truly reflect the quality he possesses and the performances he puts in matches.

This is quite clear from the fact that in the 37 total appearances he has made this season, 24 in La Liga, 10 in the UEFA Champions League, 2 in the Spanish Super Cup, and 1 in the UEFA Super Cup, he has been able to keep only 11 clean sheets.

In last night’s game against Villarreal, Courtois was once again unable to keep a clean sheet, as Juan Foyth scored a goal early in the game. The last time he kept a clean sheet for Real Madrid was back in the game against Girona on 23rd February.

However, as was the case last night, his contributions have still been key for his side to remain competitive in La Liga and the UCL.

In the game against Villarreal, he was arguably the most important player for the Merengues on the pitch as Sofascore notes that he made a whopping 9 saves, 5 of which were on shots that came from inside the box.

Needless to say, without his secure pair of hands protecting the Real Madrid goal, Carlo Ancelotti’s side would have found it a lot more difficult to get a result at the Ceramica.

However, while he impressed with his hands, the goalkeeper left a lot to be desired when playing with his feet. He was able to complete only 26 of the 37 passes he attempted on the night, recording a 70% success rate in this regard. Furthermore, only 2 of the 13 long balls he attempted on the night were accurate.

But this lack of efficiency with the ball can be understood to some extent, as Villarreal kept up suffocating pressure on the Merengues last night, and it was difficult for all the players to get the ball out of this press.

But, ultimately, the Belgian was able to help his side get the needed result that brings them at the top of the La Liga table for now, even though Barcelona have two games in hand and Atletico Madrid also have a game in hand.

Hopefully, the Belgian will continue to perform at the level he showed last night, and be able to add some more clean sheets to his name in the coming weeks and months.