Courtois on Madrid’s La Liga title defence: ‘We will fight until the last game’

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois says his side are not giving up on defending their La Liga title despite the gulf between them and Barcelona at the top of the table.

Los Blancos are currently eight points behind Barca in the league standings, with the Catalan giants hoping to extend that lead when they take on Atletico Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou later today.

Barca have dropped four points from their last two games after playing out goalless stalemates with mid-table Girona and relegation-battling Getafe.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men recorded a comfortable 2-0 victory over Celta Vigo on Saturday to keep themselves within sight of the runaway Blaugranas.

With eight games left to play, Madrid will hope their local neighbours can do them a favour by ensuring Xavi Hernandez’s side does not re-establish their previous 11-point lead at the La Liga summit by dropping points for the third consecutive game.

Courtois, who has been an instrumental figure in Madrid’s campaign this season, is undeterred by the enormous difference between his side and Barca.

“We will fight until the last game until it is mathematically impossible,” Courtois said (via RMC). 

“It’s a shame that we lost points, but with the Champions League so close in the middle, it can happen. Now, we want to win in the next three days, and when the Cup final arrives, we will see how far we are.”

The La Liga title is Barca’s to lose, especially at this stage of the season, but Madrid could still end the campaign with two trophies in their coffers.

Los Blancos are on track to defend their Champions League crown, having comfortably swatted aside Chelsea in the quarter-final to set up a semi-final date with Manchester City.

They will also face Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final on May 6, having beaten Barca over their two-legged semi-final encounter earlier this month.