Courtois admits Real Madrid’s mistakes cost the team three goals

“The mistakes we made cost us three goals,” Thibaut Courtois said after Real Madrid beat Roma 4-3 in the second round of the Champions League. The goalkeeper acknowledged that his side’s errors had a major impact, even though Madrid left with the win.

Courtois described how the match turned: “When you score the 3-2 and there are ten minutes left, plus added time, you know you can get the third. When we did, we went for the fourth.” He called it “an incredible feeling”, while stressing that his team knew it had to win.

The goalkeeper also explained the mistakes behind the goals conceded. For the first two, Real Madrid lost the ball too easily, allowing Roma to score on the counterattack. He also referred to a deflected ball that ended up in the net. On the third, he felt his team might have been awarded a penalty before the action ended at the other end.

After going 3-1 down, Courtois said he never thought the match was over: his side kept fighting and believing. He praised the work of the coaching staff and players, who scored three goals from set pieces. He also highlighted the coach’s substitutions, his team’s possession and the chances they created. Courtois described taking six points from six against two strong Italian opponents as a good start.