Courtois was left speechless by Szoboszlai’s masterclass.
The football world expected Mohamed Salah or Vinícius Júnior to dominate headlines during Real Madrid’s match against Liverpool at Anfield. Instead, Dominik Szoboszlai played a dominant performance that astounded even Thibaut Courtois.
After a stunning performance that dominated Madrid’s midfield, the Belgian goalie openly lauded the Hungarian star.
“This season alone I’ve faced Lamine Yamal, Frenkie de Jong, Rashford, Pedri — but Szoboszlai surprised me the most,” Courtois told ESPN. “He’s powerful, technical, and fearless. His movement and confidence were amazing. “I didn’t expect him to be so dominant.”
According to sources in the Madrid camp, Courtois immediately requested Szoboszlai for his shirt after the match, which he only does with players he holds in high regard.
A Special Night for Szoboszlai.
Szoboszlai gave a performance full of style and authority.
From the start, he controlled Liverpool’s rhythm, slicing through Madrid’s lines with clever passes and explosive dashes.
In the first half, his looping long-range strike forced Courtois to make a stunning save. Later, he nearly assisted Darwin Núñez with a superb cross.
Every involvement demonstrated composure, vision, and intention.
Fans all over the world dubbed him “the heartbeat of Liverpool’s midfield,” and analysts praised his effort as “one of the standout Champions League performances of the season.”
Madrid had no answer.
Real Madrid’s midfield trio of Tchouaméni, Valverde, and Bellingham struggled to contain Szoboszlai’s pace and intensity.
His continuous drifting between the lines, along with unrelenting pushing, often disrupted Madrid’s flow.
“He was absolutely everywhere,” a Spanish journalist remarked. “If he wasn’t creating, he was getting the ball back. Liverpool hasn’t had a midfielder like this since the prime Steven Gerrard.”
By the final ten minutes, Madrid’s defense line had considerably receded, demonstrating Szoboszlai’s dominance over the game.
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