Thibaut Courtois has spoken out following Real Madrid’s disappointing 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final first leg. The Belgian goalkeeper accepted responsibility for his role in the match, especially after conceding two brilliant free-kicks from Declan Rice.
Courtois Reflects on the First Free-Kick Goal
After the match, Courtois expressed his thoughts on the goals, notably the first free-kick. “I thought I’d positioned the wall well,” Courtois explained to Movistar. “I usually put an extra man in. I take responsibility for that, I could have put an extra man in, but I thought Rice wouldn’t get as much curl on it.”
Despite the belief that the wall had been set up properly, Courtois acknowledged that his positioning could have been better.
The Second Free-Kick and Unnecessary Fouls
The second goal, also from a free-kick, was something Courtois had no real answer for, praising the quality of the strike but highlighting the unnecessary fouls leading to the set-pieces. “The second goal is a great goal,” he said. “They were unnecessary fouls, when there was no danger. Perhaps we shouldn’t make those fouls.”
Declan Rice’s Advice from Bukayo Saka
For Rice, the stunning free-kick performance came after some advice from teammate Bukayo Saka. “It’s been in the locker,” Rice said when discussing the free-kicks, adding that he had previously hit the wall or missed. The advice given by Saka changed the trajectory of the game, helping Arsenal take full control in their pursuit of a semi-final spot.
Now, Real Madrid faces an uphill battle in the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, needing to score at least three goals without conceding in order to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
