TChampions League match day added a new chapter to the history of the competition. Thibaut Courtois was once again the center of attention, but this time it was for his attacking contributions rather than his saves.
Fede Valverde’s hat-trick stole the show, but his first goal came from a pass from the Madrid goalkeeper, making it 3-0 against Manchester City. With this, the goalkeeper has set two new records.
Courtois surprised by performance in Champions League
In the round of 16 first leg against Josep Guardiola’s side, the 33-year-old goalkeeper not only defended his goal, as he has done since 2018, but also created an attacking play with a stunning 60-metre assist that sent City’s defense into disarray.
This move paid off, as he and Valverde scored their first goal of the match in the 20th minute of the first half. Vinicius Jr. and Brahim Daz provided Fede’s other two assists in the 28th and 43rd minutes of the match.
However, the goal-winning pass from the goalkeeper not only showed that the Belgian can be decisive with his feet, but also marked his second assist of the season in the UEFA Champions League.
The first happened on September 30, 2025, during a match against FC Kairat. The play saw the goalkeeper unleash a long clearance from his own area, which landed at the feet of Kylian Mbapp, who converted it into the goal.
Courtois thus tied Jos Francisco Molina for assists in a single season (2003-04), although some analysts, such as famous Spanish statistician Alexis Martin Tamayo, known as Mr. Chip, believe that Thibaut is the only goalkeeper to achieve this milestone, not taking into account Courtois’ involvement in Pandiani’s goal against Juventus.
Moreover, thanks to his time at Chelsea, the Real Madrid goalkeeper has completed a total of three goal passes in this competition and, according to OptaJose, has become the best assist provider in his position in the Champions League, adding another record to his career.
Assists by goalkeepers are extremely rare, and even rarer in tough tournaments like the Champions League. That is why Courtois’ achievements are already an admirable historical record.
Now, Thibault and company will face Guardiola’s side again in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on March 17th. But first, they will host Elche CF at the Bernabé in La Liga on Saturday the 14th.
