Bellingham and Courtois react after Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid – ‘They pinned us down’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s performance against Liverpool ended in disappointment, with the team suffering a 0-2 defeat in the Champions League group stage.

Jude Bellingham, one of Madrid’s key midfielders, provided his perspective on the match, focusing on the team’s shortcomings and the bigger picture of their campaign.

Bellingham acknowledged that the team failed to control the game effectively. Poor ball retention and missed opportunities allowed Liverpool to dominate in ways that Real Madrid have not faced in years.

“We didn’t control the game, we didn’t maximise the time we had the ball, we lost the ball a lot. They pinned us down in positions we couldn’t do for years,” he began saying.

He admitted that the result was disappointing but stressed that losing to one of Europe’s strongest sides is not a humiliation.

“It’s a bad result against the best in Europe, but it’s not a disgrace to lose here. We have three games left and it’s important to win them all to have a chance of going through.”

On Mbappe’s missed penalty

Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty against Liverpool. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The missed penalty by Kylian Mbappe at a crucial moment, when the score was 1-0, was also discussed. While Bellingham recognised the significance of that moment, he defended his teammate, pointing out that such situations are part of football.

He insisted that the penalty miss was not the reason for the defeat, as Liverpool’s overall performance was superior. Despite the setback, Bellingham expressed confidence that Mbappe would continue to deliver for the team in the future.

“It can happen. The pressure he has because of how good he is is huge. We didn’t lose because of the penalty. They played better than us. Kylian has to keep his head up and he will produce great moments for this club,” he said.

Thibaut Coutrois’ take

Thibaut Courtois also shared his thoughts on the match, acknowledging Liverpool’s dominance.

He highlighted Madrid’s struggles in the attacking phase, noting that while the team defended well in the first half, they failed to create significant chances or finish their counterattacks effectively.

“We competed well, we fought well, we defended well in the first half above all. Offensively things didn’t go well for us and we struggled to create danger.

Thibaut Courtois made some good saves vs Liverpool. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

“We had some good counterattacks but we didn’t manage to finish them well, in the last pass or the last dribble and that makes it difficult,” he said.

The Belgian goalkeeper admitted that the missed penalty was a turning point, but Liverpool’s second goal sealed Madrid’s fate.

“In the second half they quickly went 1-0 up, we had the chance to equalise with the penalty that we missed and we kept trying, but at 2-0 it was already difficult.”

Courtois mentioned that the team is currently dealing with a lack of depth due to injuries, but he refused to use it as an excuse.

He called for resilience and determination, emphasising the need for the available players to step up and compete in the remaining matches.

“We lacked a bit of play, but in the second half, we played better. Obviously, we are short of players, but we never use that as an excuse.

“We are who we are. “It could be a puncture that he has noticed. That is two or three weeks minimum, but we are the ones who are here and we have to keep fighting and competing,” he concluded.

Source: Mundo Deportivo