Thibaut Courtois criticises Real Madrid teammates for role in Declan Rice free-kicks

Rice’s sensational free-kick double propelled Arsenal to one of their greatest ever European victories

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has blasted his teammates for their role in facilitating Declan Rice’s free-kick masterclass as Arsenal took control of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

Rice fired in two stunning free-kicks to propel the Gunners to a 3-0 win at the Emirates on Tuesday, with Mikel Merino also getting in on the action with a perfectly-placed strike 15 minutes from time.

Arsenal were good value for their margin of victory and could have had more if not for the goalkeeping heroics of Courtois, who made five important saves in a spirited performance to keep the tie from going completely out of sight.

Nevertheless, the Belgian was powerless when it came to Rice’s unstoppable efforts, whipping one around the wall to break the deadlock before rocketing a second into the top-right corner 12 minutes later.

Courtois has since hit out at his colleagues for giving Rice the chance to be the difference-maker, believing that the fouls leading up to the two free-kicks were needlessly conceded.

“They are two unnecessary fouls, where there is no danger,” Courtois said post-match. “Maybe you shouldn’t make those mistakes. Keep studying so that they don’t get those in the second leg.

“I knew I would have a job, they are a team that attacks well. In the fouls, I thought I had set up the wall well. I always put in an extra man so that the shot does not get past. I can take that responsibility, I could have put one more man even, but I thought I wasn’t going to get tested. And the second is a great goal.”

Arsenal were knocking at the door throughout the first half and were unlucky not to find an opener before the break, with Bukayo Saka firing an array of dangerous deliveries across the face of goal to no receiver.

But it was after the interval that Courtois felt his team fell apart, with Arsenal now boasting an advantage that will require something miraculous to turn around in the return leg.

“In the second half we forgot to play good football,” Courtois added. “I wouldn’t say we panicked, but we weren’t calm with the ball. And they score two great goals from free-kicks and then the third.

Declan Rice found the top corner with an unstoppable shot (Getty Images)

“We didn’t react well. I don’t think we had a lack of control, it was just the strength of the other team. In the first half we came out of the pressure well and that’s what we wanted in the second, but it didn’t work.

“It’s time to improve and learn. The 3-0 is difficult, but you have to believe in this team, I think it’s possible. The mistakes must be corrected and we have to try to win. If we score two quick goals, the third comes by itself.”

The Gunners will now look to defend their significant advantage in next week’s second leg as they travel to the Santiago Bernabeu on April 16, currently on the verge of a spot in the last four.

The winners of the tie will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa in the semi-finals, who meet for the first time in the French capital this evening.