Thibaut Courtois hinted at Kylian Mbappe’s underperformance and Real Madrid's need for a natural striker after their Champions League exit to Arsenal. Despite Mbappe's strong season stats, he was ineffective in the tie, prompting Courtois to mention Joselu’s absence as a key factor in Real’s 5-1 aggregate defeat.
Real Madrid’s Champions League dreams came to a crashing halt on Wednesday night, as they failed to overturn a 3-0 first-leg deficit and were eliminated by Arsenal with a 5-1 aggregate defeat. The Spanish giants looked toothless at home, managing only a solitary goal courtesy of a defensive error from William Saliba, which Vinicius Jr capitalized on.
Following the loss, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois subtly expressed frustration, suggesting the team missed a traditional center-forward presence. Without naming names directly, Courtois highlighted Joselu, who was instrumental in last season’s semi-final heroics, as the kind of player Madrid lacked during this tie. “We put in a lot of crosses, but we didn’t have a natural striker like Joselu,” he noted, in what many interpreted as a veiled critique of Kylian Mbappe's contribution.
Mbappe, who joined Real from PSG amid much fanfare, was largely ineffective in both legs against Arsenal. Despite his impressive season tally of 32 goals, including seven in the Champions League, the French forward failed to leave a mark in the crucial quarter-final.
Courtois also acknowledged Arsenal’s disciplined structure and defensive strength, crediting them for their tactical superiority. Looking ahead, he urged his teammates to regroup, with domestic competitions and the Club World Cup still up for grabs.
As questions mount over Real’s strategy and squad balance post-Mbappe’s arrival, the team will need to refocus quickly if they’re to salvage silverware this season.
