Thibaut Courtois has turned his Real Madrid career around to help restore their solidity in La Liga title battle

Goalkeeper has come a long way since being jeered by his own fans last year and Zinedine Zidane was quick to hail his recent impact after surging clear as La Liga’s most priminent defence

Thibaut Courtois starred as Real Madrid beat Getafe (Reuters)

It was straightforward in the end as Real Madrid completed a 3-0 victory at Getafe on Saturday afternoon to draw level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga for the season's half-way point. But easy to forget that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had kept Madrid in the game through the first half.

The first half at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez was a tale of two goalkeepers – Courtois made three excellent saves as the home side really unsettled Zinedine Zidane’s men – while Getafe’s David Soria punched the ball to his own net for the opening goal.

Raphael Varane heading in Toni Kroos’ perfectly whipped free-kick eight minutes into the second half killed the drama, with Luka Modric wrapping up the scoring in added time after a lung-bursting run by substitute Fede Valverde, sending Madrid off in high spirits to Saudi Arabia for Wednesday's Spanish Supercopa semi-final first leg against Valencia.

By that stage Courtois’ contribution had faded in some minds, but not Zidane's, with the Blancos coach recalling the saves from Getafe's Mauro Arambarri, Faycal Fajr and Angel Cabrera during his post-game news conference.

“Thibaut saved us three times in the first half, which was clearly decisive,” the Madrid coach said. “He is an important player in our team. Not just this game, but for a long time. For me he is the best goalkeeper in the world, no doubt, but then I think that of all my players.”

Courtois himself also remembered the moments in detail when he spoke in the Coliseum Alfonso Perez mixed zone after the game.

“I'm happy to be able to help the team, particularly in the first half with three decent saves,” he said. “The first was the hardest because (Arambarri) came into the area and struck it very well, and Casemiro, Militao and Varane were all in the path of the ball. The second was easier, the third was a powerful header from close range. They were important saves which meant we could be more relaxed in the second half. We're making big defensive efforts, and it's helping us win games.”

Madrid's defence had to be good, as their midfield found it tough to control the game, even with all of Modric, Kroos and Isco starting. Getafe’s pressing and energy – along with a bumpy pitch and freezing wind – really unsettled Zidane’s side through the opening 45 minutes, and Valverde's energy and athleticism were badly missed.

At the final whistle Getafe were 15-9 up in total shots, but Madrid had 'won' 34-14 in aerial battles, and even 11-10 in tackles made – showing how the visitors from the swanky Bernabeu had matched their suburban opponents for aggression and physicality.

“We suffered in the first half,” Zidane admitted. “But we were a team, which is the most important in difficult stadiums like this. We found it hard to play out from the back, had to go more direct. We got a good result, all together as a team.”

Zidane had also been correct in naming Courtois as one of Madrid’s key players for a while now. They have conceded just one goal across their last five La Liga games – including difficult trips to Valencia and Barcelona before the winter break.

Marca headlining one Saturday match report ‘Madrid have a top keeper again’ made a change from last October – when Courtois was whistled by the Bernabeu crowd at 0-2 down to Club Bruges, before being replaced at half-time due to what Zidane said were “stomach problems”.

Madrid then tarried in disputing a press story that the Belgian had suffered some kind of anxiety attack, as backers of former number one Keylor Navas especially enjoyed the pile-on. Calls for reserve Alfonse Areola to become the new first choice quietened however after he had his own horrorshow during a 4-2 win over Granada, and Courtois has since settled back into the jersey.

The Belgian can now claim to have been La Liga’s best goalkeeper through the first half of the season. He has seven clean sheets in his last nine games – and a total of just nine goals conceded in 15 domestic outings. Madrid's 12 goals conceded so far is the joint-best in the Primera Division, and their fewest in over 30 years at the season's mid-way point.

Since 1992, only one Madrid keeper has won the Zamora award for La Liga’s best goalkeeper – Iker Casillas in 2007/08. Courtois is now in pole position to bring back to the Bernabeu a prize he won twice during his time at Atletico.

It is also good timing for Madrid's keeper to be hitting top form, given they have not been scoring at all freely lately. Varane’s second La Liga goal of the season makes him the team’s joint third top scorer, behind fellow defender Sergio Ramos (three) and the team's only consistent goal threat Karim Benzema (12).

Zidane gave Gareth Bale a rare full 90 minutes on Saturday, but the Welshman has still not scored for his club since early September. Positioned on the right-wing, he spent the first half in a niggly​ battle with Getafe left-back Allan Nyom, then found more freedom when Madrid took control after the break.

Bale had two late one-on-one chances with Soria. But first tried an ambitious chip which landed embarrassingly in the keeper’s arms, then tried to round him but was again denied, leaving him now 11 games without finding the net.

Jan Oblak has struggled behind an Atletico defence still getting to know each other (EPA)

Courtois emerging as the Zamora frontrunner has come as both Barcelona’s Marc-andre Ter Stegen and Atletico’s Jan Oblak look more fallible at least at times this season.

Oblak has just two clean sheets in his last nine La Liga games – following Atletico’s uneven 2-1 win at home to Levante on Saturday evening. An almost all-new back four in front of him is making the

Slovakian's job a lot more difficult this season, and issues at set-pieces were evident again as Roger Marti headed in the visitors' goal on Saturday.

The Slovakian has continued to make spectacular saves – including a reflex stop to deny Levante’s Ennis Bardhi a late equaliser which had Diego Simeone calling his keeper the best in the world. But Atletico just do not look as solid as they used to.

Ter Stegen has made a few high profile mistakes as Barca’s defence has also wobbled a bit recently. The German is also now sidelined with tendonitis in his right-knee, meaning former Valencia keeper Neto stepped in for his first La Liga appearance for Barcelona in Saturday evening’s eventful 2-2 derby draw at Espanyol.

Marc-andre Ter Stegen faces a spell on the sidelines with knee ligament damage (AP)

Neto could do nothing as Espanyol's David Lopez gave La Liga's bottom side a surprise lead with a free header. Barca woke up in the second half and seemed set to win thanks to goals from Luis Suarez and Arturo Vidal. But Frenkie De Jong's silly second yellow with 15 minutes made things interesting again, and China international Wu Lei struck an equaliser low across Neto with two minutes remaining.

Twenty-three goals in the first 19 games is the most conceded by Barca at half-way since 2003-04, and suggests problems for Ernesto Valverde's defence. Neto is also short of serious match-practice going into Thursday's second Supercopa semi-final in Riyadh against Atletico.

Barca’s greater firepower means Lionel Messi and company took La Liga's 'winter champions' crown at half-way, on goal difference from Madrid. But Saturday at Getafe again showed that Zidane's side have got back their solidity and efficiency. And with Courtois back to form they again have a top keeper capable of winning trophies.