Thibaut Courtois has urged Federico Valverde to shoot more often after the sensational late winner of the midfielder against Athletic Bilbao.
Valverde Boog in a sublime strike in the third minute of the stopping time on Sunday, sealing a 1-0 win that Real Madrid's Laliga title kept alive.
Jude Bellingham missed several opportunities with a gilded edges and Vinicius Junior did not see a goal allowed before Valverde, who played for a large part of the campaign in the right side, devised a moment of magic.
It was Valverde's sixth LaLiga target of the season and came from a chance of only 0.02 expected goals.
But Courtois believes that Valverde has the shooting to accept things more often.
“Fede has a very unusual shot, a very good one,” said Courtois.
“[On Saturday] During the training he kicked a ball that looked like it went wide and suddenly it cost a turn and you think … how did you kick that? It is very sharp, fast and powerful.
“In the training he easily does one or two for a week. We have been telling him for years:” Shooting, shooting. “
The goal of Valverde was the fourth lightest winner of Madrid in Laliga in the 21st century.
It not only moved Madrid back to the inside four points of leaders Barcelona, who is confronted in the Copa del Rey -final on Saturday in the Copa del Rey final, but also facilitated part of the pressure on Carlo Ancelotti.
“Valverde was the key because he scored the goal,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“The team did well. We were a little slower in the first half, but in the second half we did very well in every aspect. We wanted to win, bouncing back after we had beaten out of the Champions League.
“It was a good match. We were aggressive and did not admit. We were more solid and played better as a team.”
With Kylian Mbappe suspended, Jude Bellingham took a false nine role, and although the international of England could not get the most out of his chances,
Bellingham had five attempts, a combination of a combined 0.8 xg, but missed the target or found athletic goalkeeper Simon in fine form.
“We checked the first half, we didn't feel pressure from athletics, but we didn't cause any opportunities,” said Ancelotti.
“[Bellingham as false nine] gave us a big advantage last year. We did not use it in the first half, but we did that in the second.
“We attacked many times from the outside and he was there to finish it. He deserved to score.”
Ancelotti also praised winger Vinicius Junior, who was the striking player of Madrid everywhere.
“Vinicius has a fantastic attitude and was exhausted in the second half. He was decided, as always,” the Italian added.
“This has not been happy days for him, but I really loved his reaction. He will be very important in the upcoming games, because of what he is on the field and because of his attitude.”
In the meantime, Bilbao is still five points free from fifth place Villarreal in a race for the last spot of Champions League.
Without star attacker Nico Williams, the Ernesto Valverde team collected only three shots and 0.19 xg, although Alex Berenguer felt their performance a point.
“I think we played a good game,” he told Laliga TV.
“We almost maintained it until the end, but this is Real Madrid, this is the Bernabeu, and in the end they got the goal in the last seconds.
“They are so good, they continued to put the ball in our area and create the opportunities. Ultimately, you will get to your own criminal area and one of them will eventually go beyond you.”