Thibaut Courtois spoke to the media ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium this evening.
Madrid, who have lifted the trophy a record 15 times, head into the clash after a 2-1 home loss to Valencia in La Liga. That result left them four points behind Barcelona at the top of the league.
Their defeat to Valencia was marred by more poor defending. They let in another goal from a corner, making it the tenth one they have conceded that way this season.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti will be pleased to have Courtois and David Alaba back in the squad after their injuries.
Courtois identifies key Arsenal threat ahead of Madrid clash
Courtois praised Arsenal’s recent progress and attacking strengths during his pre-match press conference.
“We have a lot of respect for Arsenal – I have a lot of friends who are fans of Arsenal,” Courtois said.
“I know they’ve been doing great in the Premier League – they have experienced players, their defence is very strong.
“On the counter as well, and on set pieces. It’s difficult to play against them – we have a lot of respect for them.
“I hope we can hurt them – it’s going to be a game, and we want to win. It’s a matter of time before they win a big trophy.”
The Belgian goalkeeper also explained the team’s approach in dealing with Arsenal’s set-pieces, saying they knew how to defend against them.
“The first thing is not to concede too many corners. It’s a matter of concentration and activation – sometimes, the quality of the opponent plays a factor.
“If the ball arrives perfectly, it’s difficult to defend. But we are ready to do it. We believe that what we have prepared will work out well for us.”
Arsenal will hope to take advantage of Madrid’s weaknesses from corners and take a lead in the first leg.
