Courtois' outstanding performance against Liverpool

Liverpool managed a tough 1-0 win against Real Madrid in the Champions League group match on the morning of November 5th. Still, Arne Slot’s squad struggled to penetrate Thibaut Courtois' defense.

In the rematch between these two European giants, “The Kop” dominated most of the match but had to wait until Alexis Mac Allister scored to open the scoring. This goal also ended Real Madrid’s unbeaten streak in this season’s Champions League , while helping Liverpool regain form after a slump.

Nevertheless, the biggest highlight of the match belonged to Thibaut Courtois. Although he couldn’t keep a clean sheet, the Belgian goalkeeper continued to demonstrate exceptional form with 8 crucial saves, including 4 blocks inside the penalty area . Notably, according to statistics from TBR Football, he prevented 1.05 expected goals (xG prevented) , with the save from Dominik Szoboszlai’s shot, which had a 42% chance of scoring, considered the standout moment.

Another remarkable figure shared by journalist Duncan Alexander on social media: 23% of Courtois’ total Champions League saves since the 2022 final have come against Liverpool. This statistic shows that the “Reds” consistently push Courtois to his limits, and conversely, he remains a nightmare for Liverpool’s attackers over the years.

From the 2022 final, where Courtois made 9 saves to help Real Madrid clinch the title, to last season’s and this season’s encounters, Liverpool have always faced a true “spider” guarding the net. Although they managed to break through this time, Courtois clearly remains a name that makes every Liverpool fan hold their breath whenever he’s on the pitch.

After the match, captain Virgil van Dijk admitted that he and his teammates feared Courtois would “transform into a god” again like in Paris 2022. Van Dijk told Amazon Prime: “Sometimes you have to accept that Courtois is truly outstanding. Today’s feeling reminded me of that final in Paris when we couldn’t beat him. But this time, we found a way, and that’s very important.”

This victory not only avenged Liverpool’s loss to Real Madrid but also boosted Arne Slot’s squad’s confidence for the upcoming challenges. Next up is a tough away match at Manchester City this weekend, followed by a series of comparatively easier fixtures against Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Leeds, and newly promoted Sunderland — a chance for the “Reds” to rejoin the title race should Arsenal slip up.

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