Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said he “takes responsibility” for Declan Rice’s stunning opening free kick goal in Real Madrid’s 3-0 Champions League quarterfinal first leg defeat to Arsenal on Tuesday.
Rice had never scored from a direct free kick, but netted twice in the second half at the Emirates — before Mikel Merino added a late third goal — to see Arsenal take a commanding lead in the tie.
Madrid have a history of dramatic European comebacks, and will need to repeat that at the Santiago Bernabéu on April 16 if they’re to reach the semifinals.
“I thought I’d positioned the wall well,” Courtois told Movistar. “I usually put an extra man in. I take responsibility for that, I could have put an extra man in, but I thought [Rice] wouldn’t get as much curl on it. And the second goal is a great goal.
“They were unnecessary fouls, when there was no danger. Perhaps we shouldn’t make those fouls.”
Madrid — who are second in LaLiga and have reached the Copa del Rey final, but have frequently underwhelmed this season — have won the European Cup a record 15 times, while Arsenal are yet to triumph in the competition.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted his side now have a “small possibility” of progressing to the next round.
In Madrid’s 2022 Champions League run, Ancelotti’s team produced successive comebacks against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City to reach the final.
“If you look at the game tonight, there’s no possibility,” Ancelotti admitted. “But football is change. No-one expected Rice to score those free kicks. We have to believe.”
“If there’s one team in the world who can turn this around, it’s us, in our stadium, with our fans,” full-back Lucas Vázquez said.
Madrid have now suffered back-to-back defeats, losing 2-1 at home to Valencia in LaLiga on Saturday, before Tuesday’s loss at the Emirates.
“We’re disappointed, more so in ourselves,” midfielder Jude Bellingham told TNT Sports. :We’ve got to look solely at ourselves. It’s similar themes that have happened to us all season when we’ve dropped points. We’re going to need something special to turn it around.
“We have to be honest, we have to be humble, take our medicine, and anything can happen in the return [leg] … History’s proven it, we’ve scored a lot of goals in games before. It’s not within the mentality of this club to give up and roll over.”
Madrid travel to Alavés on Sunday, before hosting Arsenal in the return leg.
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