Thibaut Courtois has donned the robes for Manchester City’s fourth goal in the semi-final of the Champions League. The Real Madrid goalkeeper, who lost 4-3 with his team at the Etihad Stadium, says he could have done much more to prevent Bernardo Silva’s goal. Courtois admits that he had counted on a whistle from referee István Kovács in the run-up to the goal, who gave the advantage after a hip swing by Toni Kroos at Oleksandr Zinchenko.
“We started way too weak, both the first and the second half,” Courtois analyzes afterwards. Real faced a 2-0 deficit after ten minutes of play. Courtois was first knocked out from close by by compatriot Kevin De Bruyne, after which the City midfielder was responsible for the assist for Gabriel Jesus’ goal not much later. “We have done well in attacking terms, really not defensively. We were just not awake with the first and second goal. Swallowing four goals as a goalkeeper is never fun, especially if there are four avoidable goals. Normally we are much better defensively. , not today.”
† † Bernardo Silva leaves Courtois completely without a chance with a pin and brings the margin back to 2 for City ??#ZiggoSport #UCL #MCIRMA pic.twitter.com/MJZVfm6bUo
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) Apr 26, 2022
Courtois could have done more, especially with the fourth goal. Kovács gave the advantage after a hip swing from Kroos to Zinchenko, after which Bernardo Silva picked up the ball and hit hard in the short corner for the 4-2. “I thought the referee whistled for a foul,” admits a guilty Courtois. “But suddenly Silva shot on target. I did not see the ball coming, so my reaction was too late. I found that very annoying. I write that goal on my account.”
Commentator Sierd de Vos immediately saw that Courtois barely reacted to Silva’s shot. “Courtois simply stops. Because he thinks a free kick will be given,” said De Vos. According to Courtois, there is no man overboard yet. Next week, the return in Estadio Santiago Bernabéu should provide a definitive answer as to which team will qualify for the final battle on May 28. “We are still in a reasonable position to go to the final. In the return we must dare to attack ourselves. We must not suddenly dig in.”