On his own, he sickened Liverpool attackers and supporters. Thibaut Courtois made no gift to Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané or Luis Diaz, the three usual goalkeepers of the Reds, in the Champions League final on Saturday May 28. A titanic meeting of the last bulwark of Madrid, indisputable man of the match of a final which he won almost single-handedly, in line with a European campaign which will have confirmed his return to the top of the pyramid of world goalkeepers.
In a team that had no less than five four-time C1 winners at kick-off (Benzema, Modric, Carvajal, Casemiro, Kroos), Thibaut Courtois was one of the few Madridistas to never have lifted the Cup with big ears . Finalist in 2014 with the other Madrid club, Atlético, then beaten by Real, the Belgian goalkeeper arrived at the Merengues in 2018, just after Madrid’s European hat-trick under the orders of Zinédine Zidane. Like his family in recent seasons, he struggled to show his best side in the Champions League. It is now done.
In truth, it was even before the final. As proof: Thibaut Courtois had the best efficiency among the goalkeepers involved in C1 this season, despite his six goals conceded in 13 games. Whether against Paris in the round of 16, Chelsea in the quarters, or Manchester City in the semis, he repeatedly made decisive saves as Real took on the water. 59 in total on the competition.
9 – Desde que Opta analiza el dato de las paradas (2003/04), el guardameta del @real Madrid, @Thibaut Courtoisha conseguido el record of paradas in a final of #ChampionsLeague (9) y en una temporada al completo en la competición (59). Heroe.#HalaMadrid #UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/edkjVT3i3L
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) May 28, 2022
And if Carlo Ancelotti’s men were able to multiply the miraculous comebacks at the end of the match to climb to the final, it was each time thanks to prior parades from their Belgian goalkeeper, who never flinched.
Just as brilliant as he has been throughout this campaign, the Belgian international had nevertheless kept some under the gloves. Because against Liverpool, he delivered a breathtaking match. That of a lifetime. Divine on his line, imperial in the air, and precise on foot: Thibaut Courtois succeeded in everything against Liverpool, multiplying the parades with every part, or almost, of his body. Among the festival of flights, we will especially remember his horizontal on a point-blank missile from Sadio Mané (20th), diverted on the post with his fingertips.
5 – Liverpool took as many shots on target in the first half tonight (5) as in their previous 2 Champions League finals combined (2 in 2018 & 3 in 2019). Insistent. #LIVRMA pic.twitter.com/xXxz9y0aJj
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) May 28, 2022
Or another on a curled shot from Salah (63rd), who tried everything to deceive the Belgian. But despite his many attempts (63rd, 68th, 79th, 81st), the Egyptian never knew how to bend the sprawling last rampart of the Merengues. To believe that only one of his defenders could have deceived him. And even.
Asked on Saturday before the match by the teamThibaut Courtois explained: “Each season, I am even more confident and I have the impression that the goal is smaller. Only in matches, nothing can happen to me”. An observation that the Liverpool attackers surely share after the defeat (1-0) in the final. On the Madrid side, if we were waiting for Karim Benzema to get the 14th Champions League in the history of the club, it is Thibaut Courtois who must be thanked.