Courtois faces the media after the defeat, extremely harsh words: 'A slap like this...'

Thibaut Courtois was one of the few Real Madrid players who escaped the disaster in New Jersey. After the 4-0 loss to PSG in the Club World Cup semifinals, the Belgian goalkeeper didn't hide. He faced the situation and spoke with complete candor.

"A blow like this does you good," he stated bluntly. The goalkeeper believes that this heavy defeat can be useful to "fix things." He thinks the team needs to take this loss as a lesson for the future.

They failed from the start

Courtois was clear in his analysis. "They always start strong and we failed to follow the coach's plan," he commented about PSG's start. The early goals shaped the course of the match. "The first two condemned us," he concluded.

According to the Belgian, Madrid didn't apply the pressure as planned. "They found the free man very well. Especially in the first half," he explained. The sense of disorder was evident.

"We were a bit late to everything. We were out of position. That's how they beat you," he admitted. Self-criticism was constant in his statements to DAZN. "We weren't even close to their level," he added.

Militao and Carvajal, the only joy

Amid the debacle, Courtois wanted to highlight the return of Militao and Carvajal. "We're very happy for both of them. They've been able to come back and it's great news for the new season," he said.

Both defenders were returning from long-term injuries. Their return is a significant boost for the upcoming season.

Not all the news was good. The goalkeeper also expressed his sadness over the farewell of two Madrid legends: Luka Modric and Lucas Vázquez.

"It's a shame they're leaving like this. Luka is a legend. He always leaves to a standing ovation. We're going to miss him a lot," he said about the Croatian, who played his last match wearing the Real Madrid jersey.

A match to learn from

Courtois ended his remarks with a reflection that sums up the feeling in the locker room. "It's a tough defeat, but one to learn from." The Belgian didn't want to sugarcoat the disaster.

He did leave one clear idea: "Sometimes, a slap like this does you good to improve and correct mistakes."

Real Madrid has a lot to reconsider. If anyone showed leadership in the storm, it was Courtois.