Top 5 unbelievable saves by Thibaut Courtois in the Champions League this season
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Thibaut Courtois singlehandedly won Real Madrid the Champions League with a wonderful performance that won the hearts of everyone watching the match.
The Belgium international was arguably the standout player on the pitch and it may have been a very different story if Real Madrid had another ‘keeper’ in goal.
Liverpool couldn’t find a way past Courtois, who cemented his status as a Real Madrid legend on a night that the club won their 14th European Cup. Courtois made nine saves, most in a Champions League final to hold on to a clean sheet to give Madrid a 1-0 win.
For regular viewers of the Los Blancos, this won’t be the first time they would have seen Courtois pull off tremendous saves to save the day. In fact, the Belgian international has been one of the standout performers for the Madrid outfit along with Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior.
Here are the top five unbelievable saves by Thibaut Courtois which helped Real Madrid to win the Champions League against all odds:
5. Messi’s Penalty save in the first leg of the Round of 16 against PSG
PSG were the heavy favourites to win the tie with their star-studded front forward grabbing all the headlines. With the game tied at 0-0, Real Madrid right-back Carvajal gave away a penalty with a foul on Kylian Mbappe. Lionel Messi came forward to dispatch the penalty but was denied brilliantly by a driving Thibaut Courtois save.
It meant to be a pivotal moment of the tie as Real Madrid came from behind to win 3-2 on aggregate. Had Courtois failed to save the penalty, the match would have gone to extra-time.
4. Cesar Azpilicueta’s long-range effort in the first leg of quarter-finals against Chelsea
Real Madrid won 3-1 in the first leg of the quarter-finals against Chelsea. The game will be remembered for the brilliance of Karim Benzema who scored a hattrick making Chelsea’s defense look like a walk in the park all over the night.
Less remembered would be the miraculous save pulled out by Thibaut Courtois against a longe range effort by Chelsea skipper Cesar Azlilicueta. With the game tied at 3-1 in Madrid’s favor, Chelsea were throwing everyone they had offensively but of no prevail.
As Real Madrid defended deep they were a lot of space and time for central defenders to have a hit so Azpilicueta tried his luck from range but Courtois had it all under control.
3. Bernado Silva’s close-range effort in the second leg of the semi-finals against Manchester City
Manchester City travelled to Madrid with a one-goal lead intact to face the Los Blancos at Santiago Bernabeau. The Citizens only had to preserve their lead to reach their second Champions League Final in a row but wanted to extend their lead and threw everything over Real Madrid’s keeper.
In the first half, they came close on numerous occasions with Courtois pulling off save one after another. In one such moment, Manchester City almost took the lead when a silky lofted pass fall under the legs of midfielder Bernado Silva who was just 10 yards off the goal.
Courtois had to adjust and rely on his reflexes to make a tremendous save which kept Madrid in the tie.
2. Jack Grealish’s left foot save in the dying minutes of the semi-finals second leg against Manchester City
After Riyad Mahrez gave the Citizens a lead and made the tie 5-3 on aggregate for Manchester City, the game became an open-ended affair with Real Madrid throwing everything which left spaces behind that the manchester city attack tried to exploit.
Jack Grealish, who came off the bench, combined brilliantly with Phil Foden and evaded Real Madrid’s penalty box. He then chopped inside with Real’s right-back Carvajal in no man’s land leaving an open chance on goal with Real Madrid’s keeper having to show his athleticism.
Courtois had to stretch his left foot to save the goal with the ball going off the post for the corner which was the least he could do in the situation. Real Madrid went on to win 6-5 on aggregate at extra-time with the save proving crucial to reaching the final.
1. Saving Sadio Mane’s thunderous shot in the Champions League Final
Thibaut Courtois saved his best for the last. The Belgian international made a total of nine saves which is the highest a keeper has made in a Champions League Final. Of those nine saves, four shots came from Salah’s boot with one or two that could have also made the list but Sadio Mane’s shot had venom which the Egyptian was lacking on the day.
Liverpool were dominating in the first 20 minutes and during such a good play, Mane skipped past Casemiro and was one on one against Eder Militao. With a quick body feint, he deceived the Brazillian and took a venomous shot with everyone in the stadium believing had gone in.
But Thibaut Courtois has other ideas. He stretched his wings span to reach the ball and deflect it onto the post and the collecting the rebounding ball. His save was so impressive that his defensive teammates celebrated it just like any other goal.
Courtois’s goalkeeping brilliance is one of the reasons Real Madrid could win their 14th Champions League trophy and reach the pinnacle of Europe this season.
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Sujeeth Shetty
(766 Articles Published)