Real Madrid superstar confirms availability vs Arsenal after injury absence – ‘I’m ready’ | OneFootball

After a forgettable weekend where they lost to Valencia in La Liga, Real Madrid will hope to bounce back strongly when they take on Arsenal in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final.

Having just about managed to eliminate Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16 via penalty shootout, the reigning champions will be eager to take another step towards defending their European crown.

However, they go into the game under immense pressure after the defeat to Valencia and another misstep here could spell trouble for Carlo Ancelotti.

Ahead of the match at the Emirates Stadium, Thibaut Courtois attended the press conference and gave an update on his fitness condition, having missed the last few games due to an injury.

“I’m fine, I had a small problem, it was a day-to-day thing, but I’ve been training for several sessions. Now we have to change our mindset for the Champions League and play a good game against a good opponent,” said the shot-stopper kicking things off.

When further probed about his muscle problem, the Belgian added: “I’m fine. I’ve had two injuries at the beginning of the season, then I’ve been fine and this was a minor thing. Because we didn’t want to take any risks in important games, we preferred to wait.”

On being asked if he is ready to start, Courtois replied: “I’m 100 per cent, you have to ask the coach if I’m going to play from the start, but I’m ready.

“I’ve been in the gym and on the pitch these days, I’m ready to play. I’m expecting a good atmosphere, I’ve played many times here with Chelsea.”

Heading into the game, set-pieces are a major concern for Real Madrid, as they have often struggled to defend in such situations and Arsenal excel at them. Addressing the matter, Courtois said:

“We worked on it yesterday, we know how to defend against them. The first thing is not to concede too many corners. It’s a matter of concentration, activation, sometimes the quality of the opposition plays a part.

“If the ball arrives perfectly, it’s difficult to defend. But we’re ready to do it, we believe that what we’ve prepared will work out well for us.”

On how he plans to tackle the situation, he added: “We defend in a zone, with some blocking. In the national team we do it man-to-man. You try to sense if they go to the near post or to the far post, if a block is coming.

“For a goalkeeper it’s important to analyse it, we do it. The dead ball is very important, it can win you the game or lose you the game.”

On Arsenal’s unbeaten streak at the Emirates, he said: “I didn’t know they haven’t lost here for two years. I don’t think it will change much. It’s like saying we’ve won 15 Champions League titles, it doesn’t change.

“We know they are strong at home, Liverpool were when we won there 2-5. We have to try to win, every game is different. It’s the first time we play here, we know they are strong, they beat City here. We will take that into account.”

Back and ready. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Regarding Real Madrid’s struggles in the latter stages of matches this season, Courtois noted:

“In every game we try to win it in the first few minutes if possible. Maybe physically we can be better at the end, or players come in who are fresh to make the difference.

“If we can win the game in 60′ it would be better, but that doesn’t happen in football. It happens by itself.”

On the criticism that has come Real Madrid’s way this season, the Belgian goalkeeper remarked:

“It’s guided a lot by results. I don’t think we played badly against Valencia, we missed a penalty and they put us in after, then 1-2 in the last minute. From the inside we feel that we are doing well, but the results don’t go our way.

“It’s April and we’re alive in all three competitions. The team knows what it has to do, but the important thing is the results.”

On whether playing in the Champions League will bring about a change in attitude of the players, he stated:

“I don’t think there will be a big change. Maybe it’s more noticeable because it’s the Champions League, but we take every game seriously, we don’t go out in La Liga for a stroll.

“In the Champions League the adrenaline is higher, instead of going 100% you go 110%, but every mistake also penalises more. But it’s not such a big change.”

On further being probed about whether Real Madrid ‘choose’ matches when they play at their best, Courtois hit back saying:

“It is enough for us to analyse our matches internally. A journalist may think one thing when the line may be something else. We are not so much interested in criticism from the outside, but from the inside, to know what we have to improve.

“It’s not that we pick and choose games, it may be that in some games the adrenaline is higher, but this shield requires us to always go out and give 100%. If you lose, you lose, but I don’t think we pick games.”

Talking about Arsenal and the respect that Real Madrid have for them, he said: “We have a lot of respect for Arsenal, I have a lot of friends who are fans. I know they have done very well in the Premiership, they have experienced players, their defence is very strong.

“On the counter as well, and at 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.”

Source: AS