Thibaut Courtois has called out his own Real Madrid teammates as he named the ONE player they are missing.
Real Madrid were eliminated from the Champions League after suffering a heavy 5-1 defeat on aggregate to Arsenal.
The reigning champions came into the second leg on Wednesday trailing by three goals after a humbling loss at the Emirates last week.
Once again, Mikel Arteta’s side proved too strong, as the Gunners secured a 2-1 victory at the Bernabeu.
Bukayo Saka made amends for his earlier penalty miss by scoring the opening goal. Vinicius Jr equalized, but Gabriel Martinelli netted a late winner to seal the result.
Arsenal dominated the match while Real Madrid looked ineffective in attack, with key players like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham failing to make an impact.
Their tactical approach raised questions, as Courtois — who saved Saka’s first-half penalty — expressed frustration over the team’s overreliance on crossing.
In his comments, Courtois mentioned Joselu — a player who delivered key moments during Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph last season.
“We put in a lot of crosses, but we didn’t have someone like Joselu,” he said. “Maybe we should’ve used different tactics. We have to be honest with ourselves.”
He added, “Sometimes we need to play more collectively as a team.”
When asked about manager Carlo Ancelotti, Courtois made his stance clear: “We have zero doubts about him.”
The goalkeeper admitted that Arsenal deserved to advance: “They were the better team over both legs — that’s why they’re through.”
Looking ahead, Courtois emphasized the importance of staying focused: “There’s still a long season ahead — the league, a final in ten days, and the Club World Cup. We have to improve.”
Real Madrid now shift their focus to La Liga, where they trail leaders Barcelona by four points with seven matches remaining. They also face a Copa del Rey final against Barca and have the Club World Cup lined up this summer.
