Real Madrid are reportedly confident about goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ availability for their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash at Arsenal on Tuesday (April 8).
The 32-year-old missed the thrilling 4-4 home draw with Real Sociedad in midweek due to a muscle injury as Los Blancos booked their place in the Copa del Rey final with a 5-4 aggregate win. Courtois had also missed the preceding 3-2 La Liga home win over Leganes at the weekend.
As per Real Madrid Confidencial, the Belgian didn’t play the second game during the March international break due to ‘physical problems’. He appears doubtful for the upcoming La Liga home game with Valencia on Saturday.
However, as per Relevo (via Madrid Xtra), the reigning La Liga and UEFA Champions League holders are ‘optimistic’ about Courtois’ availability for the trip to the Emirates next week.
Courtois has played 37 games across competitions for Los Blancos this season, keeping 11 clean sheets. That includes one clean sheet in 10 outings in the Champions League as Carlo Ancelotti’s side seek to go back-to-back for the second time.
Arsenal vs Real Madrid: A few tidbits
Real Madrid and Arsenal don’t have much of a history in the UEFA Champions League era. In two meetings, Los Blancos have gone winless, losing one, though.
Both clashes happened in the 2005-06 edition of the competition. Following a goalless Round of 16 first-leg draw at the Gunners’ then-home of Highbury, Arsene Wenger’s side prevailed by a solitary goal at the Santiago Bernabeu. Gunners’ all-time top-scorer Thierry Henry bagged the game’s only goal two minutes into the second period.
That season, Arsenal would go on to reach the final, where they lost 2-1 to Barcelona in Paris after opening the scoring. Nearly two decades later, the Premier League side are yet to return to the title match of the competition.
As for Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid, they have been the standout side in the Champions League since their historic La Decima triumph in 2014. They have won five titles since then, including an unprecedented three-peat (2016-18). No other team has won successive titles in the Champions League era.
Edited by Bhargav
