Courtois Criticizes Real Madrid After Defeat to Arsenal in UCL

• Apr 17, 2025

Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid's goalkeeper, has expressed frustration with his teammates following their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final second leg on Wednesday night. Real Madrid entered the match trailing 3-0 from the first leg and struggled to mount a comeback.

In the 13th minute, Courtois made a crucial save, denying Bukayo Saka from the penalty spot and preventing Arsenal from extending their lead. However, Saka found the net in the second half, deflecting a pass from Mikel Merino past Courtois. Real Madrid managed to equalize through Vinicius Jr after a mistake from Arsenal's William Saliba, but Arsenal regained the lead in stoppage time, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a decisive goal.

After the match, Courtois admitted that Arsenal deserved to win both legs of the tie but was clearly upset with the performance of his teammates. He noted that at half-time, Real Madrid believed they could still turn things around if they scored the first goal, but Arsenal struck first in the second half, dampening any hopes of a comeback. While Real Madrid did find the equalizer quickly, they were unable to capitalize further.

Courtois criticized the team's attacking play, stating that Arsenal's goalkeeper, David Raya, did not have to make a significant save throughout the game. He pointed out that Real Madrid's crosses were ineffective and noted the team's lack of a natural striker like Joselu to finish off opportunities.

Despite the defeat, Courtois acknowledged that Arsenal was a superior side and that Real Madrid needed to accept the result. He emphasized the importance of analyzing their performance and improving moving forward, as there is still much of the season left, including the Spanish league, the Copa del Rey in ten days, and the Club World Cup. Courtois also thanked the fans for their support, expressing hope that the team could still bring joy to them in the remainder of the season.