Courtois on his return to Stamford Bridge: “I’m not expecting any applause from the fans”

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois spoke to RealMadrid.com today in the build-up of his return to Stamford Bridge. Of course, the Belgian — along with teammate Eden Hazard — already played there last season in the Champions League, but this year’s occasion is different as the fans will be back in attendance.

Here are Courtois’s quotes:

“I’ve won many trophies, but the Champions League is the biggest in club football and I haven’t won it yet,” Courtois said. “It would obviously be very special for me to win it before I retire. I’ve still got time. I’ll keep on trying to follow my dreams and the Champions League is one of them. The adventure continues.

“I hope it’s a happy return to Stamford Bridge. We’re now rivals. They’ll want to win and the same goes for me too and so I’m not expecting any applause from the fans. I hope that they don’t boo me, but you never know. I’m prepared for whatever comes and we’ll have to see how it goes. I’m happy to be returning there with fans in the stands because last year when we played them the stadium was empty.

“When I arrive at the training ground and see the Real Madrid crest, I sometimes think: Pinch me! This isn’t a dream, is it? Not even in my wildest dream could I have imagined that I would one day play for Real Madrid. That’s the good thing about football. You have to believe in yourself and that one day your dreams will come true.

“Every footballer dreams of winning. I’m lucky enough to play for Real Madrid, where every season you come close to winning something. You’ll always be involved in a final, a semi-final or a quarter-final. last season, we reached the semi-finals. This season, we’re up against a great team in the quarter-finals. I hope we win and that we can get through to another semi-final. We’ll have to see how it goes”.