Thibaut Courtois has revealed what Liverpool players said to him during his remarkable performance at Anfield, as the Real Madrid goalkeeper left Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai laughing in disbelief during Liverpool’s 1-0 Champions League win.
For long spells on Tuesday night, it felt as though Liverpool were playing against a wall in goal.
Thibaut Courtois, back in Champions League action for Real Madrid, delivered one of those performances that defy logic the kind that leaves strikers shaking their heads and supporters wondering if the ball will ever go in.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool eventually found a way through, with Alexis Mac Allister glancing home the decisive header in a 1-0 victory that reverberated around Anfield. But for much of the evening, it was Courtois who seemed intent on turning back time to his heroic displays of 2022.
The Belgian goalkeeper made a series of outstanding stops from Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil Van Dijk to keep Madrid in the contest. His sheer reach, agility, and presence made scoring look like a near-impossible task.
Even Liverpool’s players, who had started the game with real purpose, began to look exasperated as the Madrid No.1 kept producing save after save. Courtois later admitted that even they couldn’t quite believe what was happening.
Speaking to Stan Sport after the game, Courtois lifted the lid on the light-hearted exchanges that took place on the pitch as Liverpool’s frustration turned to disbelief.
“They started to laugh at me — Virgil, Szoboszlai and Salah and I don’t know who else started laughing like why, and Konaté also like ‘why you save this again,’” Courtois revealed.
“And so they were getting a bit desperate at that point, and they started to laugh with it because obviously, I think they also have the final of 2022 still in their memories.
“That’s what happened, so obviously it was some good banter in the game [and] eventually they took that final win that is a pity for us, also for me.”
It was a candid insight from the 33-year-old, whose relationship with Liverpool’s front line goes back to that famous Champions League final in Paris, where his string of saves earned Madrid the trophy.
And while he couldn’t prevent Liverpool from earning a measure of revenge this time, Courtois’ performance was a reminder of his enduring quality and of how fine the margins still are at the elite level.
For Mohamed Salah, it was another night that mirrored much of his season so far. The Egyptian forward looked sharp in his movement and link-up play but lacked the finishing edge.
Liverpool’s front line, while far more cohesive in recent weeks, remains short of its most clinical version. As Courtois alluded to, the Reds created plenty of chances but found the Madrid goalkeeper in defiant mood.
Their final-third inconsistency has been one of the few frustrations in Arne Slot’s early tenure. The Dutchman’s side has rediscovered much of the intensity and control that defined Liverpool at their best, but the lack of cutting edge means too many games still hang in the balance longer than they should.
Tuesday’s narrow win over Madrid was evidence of progress, though. For large stretches, Liverpool pressed with ferocity, dominated midfield through Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, and defended with composure when tested.
Back-to-back wins have steadied the ship after a bruising few weeks, and crucially, the spirit and intensity that had momentarily dipped seem to have returned.
And yet, as Slot and his players know, there is no time to bask in the glow of a European triumph. Next up is Manchester City at the Etihad
