Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois defended the standard of the FIFA Club World Cup after his side edged Juventus 1–0 to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament being staged in the United States. “If you believe four Twitter users who say the Club World Cup is worthless, you’re wrong,” the 33-year-old said in the mixed zone, adding that “everyone who knows football knows the level of the teams.” Courtois cited the performances of Brazilian clubs and Saudi champions Al-Hilal as evidence of the competition’s depth, noting that Fluminense eliminated Inter Milan 2–0 and Al-Hilal knocked out Manchester City 4–3 after extra time. He also argued that sides such as Monterrey are capable of beating leading European teams, underscoring what he called “many good and interesting matches” across the expanded knockout field. The victory over Juventus, decided by a late strike from 19-year-old forward Gonzalo García, keeps Real Madrid unbeaten in the tournament. Xabi Alonso’s team will meet Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals, while Palmeiras, Fluminense and Al-Hilal headline the non-European contingent still in contention for the title.