Thibaut Courtois points finger of blame after being called out by Real Madrid legend over Declan Rice free-kicks

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has issued a response and revealed who is exactly to blame after being criticised for conceding two free-kicks to Declan Rice.

Rice, who had never scored a free-kick in his career until Tuesday night - bagged two set-piece stunners in a 12-minute period in the second half to send the Emirates Stadium into pandemonium.

The England international curled in a sensational strike around the wall and past Courtois from 25 yards before following it up with another incredible effort into the top bins.

Rice became just the fifth player to score two direct free-kicks in the same game in the Champions League and his heroics were rightly praised.

However, a pair of Real legends attached blame to Courtois - believing the Belgian shotstoper was at fault for allowing the two long-range strikes past him.

Although he said the "wall wasn’t positioned properly for the first goal", on Ziggo Sport Wesley Sneijder said Courtois' positioning was wrong for the second strike where Rice found the top bins - noticing he took "a step to the right".

Meanwhile, three-time Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf also called out Courtois and claims he "put up a bad screen" which gave Rice the confidence to take on the shot.

Courtois responds to being blamed for Rice free-kicks

Going into the game, Courtois was well aware of Arsenal's threat from set-pieces but conceded that for the first goal, he should have put an extra man in the wall to give that extra protection and make it harder for Rice to find the net.

But while he did take responsibility, Courtois did say Real were naive in making "unnecessary fouls" in dangerous areas.

Thibaut Courtois accepted responsibility for Declan Rice's two free-kicks. Image: Getty

"I thought I'd positioned the wall well," Courtois told Movistar, as per The Mirror.

"I usually put an extra man in. I take responsibility for that, I could have put an extra man in, but I thought [Rice] wouldn't get as much curl on it.

“And the second goal is a great goal. They were unnecessary fouls, when there was no danger. Perhaps we shouldn't make those fouls."

Rice. the 11th English player to score a free-kick in the Champions League, went against instructions from captain Martin Odegaard and set-piece coach Nicolas Jover as they both told him to go for a cross.

However, Rice didn't listen and after getting the blessing from Bukayo Saka, decided to go for the shot in a call which turned out to be the right one.

Mikel Merino's fine finish made it 3-0 and means Arsenal take a healthy lead into next week's quarter final second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.