Thibaut Courtois faced the media after Real Madrid’s 1–2 home defeat to Manchester City. The Belgian goalkeeper mixed accountability with frustration, insisting his team played well enough to earn at least a draw — if not the victory.
“The equalizer was a bit of my fault”
Courtois did not shy away from responsibility for City’s first goal, openly acknowledging his part in the sequence.
“We scored the first goal… the equalizer was a bit of my fault, it came right at me and I couldn’t get to it,” he admitted.
It was a rare mistake from the
normally flawless shot-stopper, who later redeemed himself with several key saves that kept Madrid within striking distance.
Frustration with key moments — and the penalty sequence
The goalkeeper pointed to moments of misfortune and questionable calls that shifted momentum.
“When things are going against you, you go for an opponent instead of a teammate, and I don’t know about the penalty,” Courtois said, referring to the incident that allowed City to take a 2–1 lead. “But for the equalizer, they pushed Rüdiger.”
Despite the frustration, Courtois noted that Madrid regained control of the game in the second half:
“In the second half they started better, and from the 60th minute we took control of the game and deserved to equalize. We should have won.”
“It’s a silly draw — suddenly you’re losing”
Although Madrid ultimately left empty-handed, Courtois felt the performance merited more.
“It’s a silly draw, suddenly you’re losing, but we had chances to equalize.”
Backing Xabi Alonso: “We’re behind the manager”
Courtois also rejected the idea that the match was some kind of test for Xabi Alonso, whose project is under scrutiny amid the recent dip in league form.
“Xabi? We don’t see it as an exam, we want to win matches. We’ve dropped too many points in the league, we’re behind the manager.”
He emphasized the team’s commitment and performance, insisting the effort was there even if the result wasn’t.
“We played well and gave 100%. It just wasn’t meant to be, that’s all.”
