Thibaut Courtois Explodes at Alaba and Camavinga After the 3-0 Against Arsenal: “It Was…”

Another Champions League night at the Emirates Stadium has concluded in disappointment for Real Madrid, as the Spanish giants succumbed to a comprehensive 3-0 defeat against a vibrant and determined Arsenal side in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.¹ While the collective performance of Carlo Ancelotti’s men fell significantly short of expectations, particularly after a relatively stable first half, the spotlight has intensified on specific defensive lapses that directly contributed to Arsenal’s emphatic victory. In the wake of this chastening reverse, Real Madrid’s experienced goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, uncharacteristically voiced his frustration, pointedly criticizing the “unnecessary defensive errors” committed by two of his own teammates.

Although Courtois refrained from naming names explicitly in his immediate post-match assessment, his thinly veiled remarks left little doubt as to the recipients of his criticism: the experienced Austrian defender David Alaba and the dynamic young French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga. According to Courtois’s analysis, the avoidable fouls committed by these two players in crucial areas of the pitch directly led to the two expertly executed free-kicks from Arsenal’s Declan Rice, which ultimately proved to be the decisive moments in the Gunners’ triumph.

The Emirates Stadium witnessed a second half where Arsenal truly asserted their dominance, exhibiting a potent blend of tactical discipline and clinical finishing that Real Madrid struggled to contain. Amidst this period of Gunners’ ascendancy, Courtois identified two critical junctures where defensive errors proved particularly costly. The first instance occurred when David Alaba, in an attempt to contain the lively Bukayo Saka, committed a foul in a central position just outside the Real Madrid penalty area. The ensuing free-kick was masterfully dispatched by Declan Rice, curling beyond Courtois’s reach and clipping the post on its way into the net, breaking the deadlock and shifting the momentum firmly in Arsenal’s favor.²

Remarkably, a similar scenario unfolded in the 70th minute, further compounding Real Madrid’s woes and amplifying Courtois’s frustration. Once again, it was the electrifying Bukayo Saka who proved to be the catalyst, his mesmerizing dribbling drawing a mistimed challenge from Eduardo Camavinga in a near-identical position to Alaba’s earlier foul. With an almost uncanny sense of déjà vu, Declan Rice stepped up to take the resulting free-kick and, brimming with confidence, unleashed another unstoppable strike that nestled into the back of the net, effectively securing a commanding 2-0 lead for Arsenal.

In the immediate aftermath of this damaging defeat, Thibaut Courtois, usually a figure of calm and composure, did not mince his words when addressing the media. With a palpable sense of disappointment in his voice, the Belgian shot-stopper stated, “In the second half, we forgot how to play good football.” He then directly addressed the concession of the goals, emphasizing the avoidable nature of the errors: “Rice’s goals came from unnecessary fouls. Maybe we shouldn’t have committed those fouls.” Despite the significant three-goal deficit, Courtois expressed a flicker of hope, urging his teammates and the Real Madrid faithful to maintain belief in their ability to overturn the tie in the return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu. “It’s tough,” Courtois admitted, “but we have to believe in this team.”

Adding his perspective on the two pivotal free-kicks, Arsenal’s hero of the night, Declan Rice, offered insights into his mindset and execution. “I hit the wall too many times… at first, for the first one, I was going to cross it, but then I saw the wall and Courtois’s position, and I thought I’d go for it! And the second one, I had the confidence to strike it,” Rice revealed, highlighting his astute observation and decisive execution that proved so damaging to Real Madrid’s aspirations.

The stark reality facing Real Madrid is that if they replicate the disjointed and error-prone performance displayed at the Emirates in the return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, overturning a three-goal deficit against a confident Arsenal side will be a monumental task. The attacking prowess of the Madridistas, with the notable exception of Kylian Mbappé who showed glimpses of his brilliance, struggled to penetrate Arsenal’s disciplined defense and create clear-cut opportunities. The defensive frailties exposed by the “unnecessary fouls” that led to Rice’s goals will need to be addressed urgently if Real Madrid harbor any realistic hopes of staging a dramatic comeback and progressing to the Champions League semi-finals. The pointed criticism from Thibaut Courtois underscores the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for a significant improvement in both defensive discipline and overall team performance in the return fixture.