Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has admitted that individual errors could be attributed to their 3-0 loss to Barcelona in the second-leg round of 16 UEFA Champions League clash at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night.
Courtois was nutmegged twice by Lionel Messi either side of Ousmane Dembele’s rifling shot for a comprehensive victory for the Catalans.
The win saw Barcelona progress into the quarter-finals 4-1 on aggregate after the first-leg ended 1-1.
“Individual mistakes cost us in both legs,” the Belgian told Chelsea official website. “For the first goal, I didn’t expect the shot from Messi, and I was too late to close my legs, so it’s a mistake on my part and it’s not nice to start the evening like that. The others were missed passes and we paid for them, they scored from our mistakes.
“Apart from that we defended well, tried to play well and we had chances. We hit the [woodwork] twice, it was a bit unlucky but the individual mistakes cost us. We have to be honest about that, continue working and try to win on Sunday in the FA Cup because that’s the only silverware we might get this season.”
Courtois admitted Wednesday night was not the first time he would be nutmegged by Messi, that he had conceded goals like that from the Argentine during his time at Atletico Madrid.
He said:”Obviously I played against him a lot of times and conceded goals through my legs from him before. A goalkeeper like me, I am two metres, it’s maybe the weakest part, because there is always a space between.
“It’s annoying but I have to come out, say I made a mistake, I made some good saves as well, and it’s unlucky to go out to goals from mistakes. We just have to work hard and continue.”
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