Courtois: Ancelotti lost temper at times this season

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has said that coach Carlo Ancelotti has lost his temper with the team “a few times” during their rollercoaster season so far.

Madrid are second in LaLiga — level on points with leaders Barcelona — and face Manchester City on Wednesday in their Champions League knockout phase playoff second leg.

However, they have struggled at times this campaign, with no wins in their last three league games, and high-profile defeats to rivals Barcelona — 4-0 in LaLiga, and 5-2 in the Spanish Supercopa — and in Europe to Lille, AC Milan and Liverpool.

“I had [coaches] like [Antonio] Conte that would shout like crazy,” Courtois told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. “It’s personalities, you know. I think [Zinedine] Zidane was more calm … Carlo is also calmer, unless something really happens, like this year a few times.

“But I like that, because I like the balance between being calm and on the right moment, you get mad, because then your words have impact.”

Courtois also said there should be “zero tolerance” for racist abuse aimed at players, with teammate Vinícius Júnior frequently being targeted by opposition fans in recent seasons, including in one high-profile incident at Mestalla in May 2023 when the game was paused after Vinícius identified fans who had racially abused him.

“I think sometimes we could have [had] even stronger reactions on the field when stuff has happened, like in Valencia,” Courtois said.

“I understand it’s not a full stadium, but if as a club, suddenly you have to close part of your stadium, a full stadium, that impact is really big.”

Courtois has not played for his national team, Belgium, since June 2023, after a falling out with then coach Domenico Tedesco, who was sacked last month.

“I made peace with it,” Courtois said. “Obviously, I miss playing for my country… But, yeah, we’ll see what happens.

“I dream to still play at the World Cup, and maybe finish on a high note with the national team. But we will see where it will go… It was just a situation that was not healthy anymore.”