Is the Clásico turning into a disaster? Courtois blow puts Mourinho to a terrifying test
The Madrid defence faces a difficult task to protect its goal
Real Madrid head into Sunday evening's Clásico against Barcelona, the tenth round of La Liga, with defensive worries mounting against their rival's ferocious attack.
Jose Mourinho's side have kept just two clean sheets in their opening 12 matches this season. Then came a fresh blow: goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois ruled out at the last moment through illness.
The timing could hardly be worse. Barcelona welcome their old enemy having banged in 39 goals across their first nine league games, a rate of more than four a match, and Real Madrid must now face them without their first-choice goalkeeper, according to the club's medical statement issued on Sunday afternoon.
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Real Madrid's defence does not hold firm: Barcelona exploits every chance
Real Madrid's defensive problems have rumbled on since last season. The team have struggled to apply a cohesive collective system at the back, and the forwards have drawn criticism for failing to provide the defensive support required.
In La Liga, Mourinho's side have kept just two clean sheets, both at the Santiago Bernabeu, against Malaga and Villarreal, according to a statistic published by As ahead of the game.
That lays bare the scale of the challenge facing the Portuguese coach against a Barcelona attack firing on all cylinders since the start of the season. The Catalans have won their first nine league matches, scoring 39 goals while conceding 9, equalling the record for the best start in the competition's history, set by Real Madrid in the 1968-1969 season.
Across all competitions, their tally climbs to 50 goals in 12 matches, with 15 conceded, according to statistics.
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Yamal and Raphinha: a devastating attack
Lamine Yamal is one of Barcelona's deadliest attacking weapons. He has scored 8 goals and laid on 6 assists in his first 9 league matches, taking him to 14 goal contributions, according to "Opta" statistics.
The threat doesn't stop there. Barcelona's big wins lay bare their attacking efficiency: five without reply against Elche, another five past Valencia, a 7-2 thrashing of Racing Santander and a 5-2 victory over Real Betis. They lost 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, yet their domestic record proves they will punish any defensive lapse. That forces Real Madrid's players to close down spaces and stop the ball reaching the men who unlock an attack.
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Courtois's absence heightens Mourinho's concerns ahead of the Clasico
Real Madrid's problems have piled up just hours before El Clasico. The club confirmed that Thibaut Courtois has been ruled out with flu-like symptoms, calling up young goalkeeper Ilya Zabarnyi in his place.
Losing Courtois is a heavy blow. The Belgian had been pivotal in rescuing his side over recent weeks, and Madrid badly need a solid defensive display to cope with Barcelona's attack.
Courtois played 12 matches for Real Madrid in La Liga and the Champions League heading into El Clasico, totalling 1,080 minutes. In that time he conceded 14 goals, made 45 saves and kept just two clean sheets, according to the statistics of Real Madrid's official website.
In La Liga alone, the Belgian played 9 matches and conceded 9 goals, making 29 saves at a save percentage of 76.3%.
Mourinho now faces a daunting tactical test that could turn El Clasico into a disaster. The challenge isn't just covering for his first-choice keeper. He also has to fix the collective flaw that let opponents reach his goal time and again, and Barcelona carry one of the most fearsome attacks around.
Two factors will prove decisive if Madrid want to blunt Barcelona's threat and come away with a positive result: a sharper press from the front line and tighter gaps between the lines.
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