Courtois shines, Real Madrid lose 0-1 at Anfield
Courtois made seven saves at Anfield, but Real Madrid still lost 1-0 to Liverpool after Alexis Mac Allister's decisive header was left unmarked.
A solitary header from Alexis Mac Allister broke the deadlock at Anfield, sealing a 1-0 win for Liverpool on a day when Thibaut Courtois made seven saves but was still helpless against Real Madrid's sloppy defence.
Courtois shines but Real Madrid falls 0-1
For the first 50 minutes, Courtois was an impenetrable wall, constantly pulling Real Madrid back from the brink. However, the turning point came from a moment of collective discipline: Mac Allister was left alone in the box and comfortably headed home. It was not Courtois’ fault, but the result of a mistake in a key situation.
Development and key saves
Courtois made three world-class saves in the first half: twice to deny Dominik Szoboszlai and once to block a rocket shot from Mac Allister himself. Every time Liverpool stepped up their game, the Belgian was in the right place at the right time.
After the break, the script was the same. Courtois reacted brilliantly to keep out Virgil van Dijk’s close-range shot, then continued to beat Ekitike in a one-on-one. He made seven saves in total, five of which were decisive, but Real Madrid still left Anfield empty-handed.
Tactical angle: flaw at crucial moment
What followed showed the difference between a perfect individual performance and a solid defensive structure. Liverpool created chances after chances that forced Courtois to work at a high intensity. And just a moment of Real Madrid's concentration was forgotten, Mac Allister was punished with the decisive header.
Courtois’ performance was reminiscent of the 2022 Champions League final: calm, excellent reflexes, dominating the six-yard box. But at Anfield, that brilliance was not enough to make up for a single collective error.
Outstanding statistics
- Courtois made seven saves at Anfield.
- Three first half quality saves: 2 from Dominik Szoboszlai, 1 from Alexis Mac Allister's shot.
- Second half: blocked Virgil van Dijk's close-range shot and won the one-on-one with Ekitike.
- Including 5 decisive saves, but Real Madrid still lost 0-1.
Meaning from a fragile failure
The 1-0 defeat at Anfield exposed Real Madrid’s limits at key moments: a small misstep in marking can overshadow a brilliant individual performance. Courtois was the bright spot, but on a night when Liverpool were persistent and took their chances, the keeper was left isolated.
