Barça: Courtois to face his bête noire in Camp Nou
No team has put more goals past the Real Madrid keeper, who has been on the winning side only once against Barcelona in 12 attempts.
Thibaut Courtois will return to the Real Madrid goal in place of Keylor Navas in Camp Nou, with the two keepers alternating between league and cup competition but the Belgium international may prefer to let his Costa Rican colleague take the responsibility against Barcelona after his previous experiences against the reigning LaLiga champions.
Sunday’s Clásico will be Courtois’ 13th game against Barça, the team that has tormented him most during his career. The Real keeper has faced the Culés more than any other side and no team has put a greater number of goals past him. In those 12 fixtures, Courtois has conceded 20 times (1.7 per game) and managed a clean sheet on three occasions.
Courtois has only once tasted victory against Barcelona
Results have also not smiled on Courtois when he has gone up against Barça. Only once has he been on the winning side, on April 9, 2014 when he between the sticks for Atlético in the 1-0 victory in the 2013-14 Champions League quarter-finals.
Courtois’ last appearance against Barcelona was last season when he was Chelsea’s number one. In another Champions League game, on that occasion at the last 16 stage, the Belgium stopper conceded three in Camp Nou, with Leo Messi twice putting the ball through his legs.
So far this season for Madrid, Courtois has played seven times, all in league action, and has conceded eight goals while making 19 saves.
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