Real Madrid and Arsenal are set to face each other in a thrilling UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final showdown and Thibaut Courtois had his say about this fixture. Both teams will look to dominate in this fixture and secure a spot in the next stage of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid, with its legacy of success in Europe, aims to assert dominance, while Arsenal, hoping to win a European title with Mikel Arteta, is looking to prove itself against one of the world’s elite clubs. The atmosphere will be electric and filled with anticipation as both teams look to get the better of each other and progress in this prestigious tournament.
Credit: Goal.com
This season, Arsenal has been exceptional with set pieces, transforming them into a potent weapon. Under their astute coaching, players have honed their delivery and positioning, leading to numerous goals from corners and free kicks. The Gunners’ ability to take advantage of set pieces has not just boosted their scoring tally but significantly impacted crucial matches. They have already scored multiple crucial goals through these set pieces this season, goals which have gotten them crucial points in their hunt for the Premier League title. Arsenal will hope to use this tactic in their extremely important Champions League game against the Los Blancos.
However, one big setback that Arsenal will face when it comes to using set-pieces effectively will be the absence of Brazilian defender Gabriel. The Brazilian star has shown all season just how dominating he can be in the air, and it is with the help of his aerial prowess and tactical awareness that Arsenal have managed to weaponize their set-piece tactics. Gabriel, out with an injury, will miss the games against Real Madrid, and Arsenal will need to pick a new target for their corners and freekicks. While this change can be problematic, Arsenal do have a few players who can act as a replacement for Gabriel.
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Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois spoke about Arsenal’s use of set-pieces this season and how it poses a huge threat to Real Madrid. Thibaut Courtois said:
“We’ve worked on it. We know how we have to try 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, too. 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. We have a lot of respect for Arsenal. I have a lot of friends who are Arsenal fans. I know they’ve been doing great in the Premier League. They’re a young team, a strong defence, on the counter and set pieces.”
“We have a lot of respect for Arsenal” 🗣️
Thibaut Courtois speaks ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter finals against Arsenal. pic.twitter.com/cIeYWH4Luk
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 7, 2025
As Arsenal prepares to face Real Madrid in the Champions League Quarter-Final, they will look to exploit their lethal set pieces as a key strategy to score. With a well-drilled routine, the Gunners aim to capitalize on corners and free kicks, utilizing the height and agility of their players to score goals and put the pressure on Real Madrid. While the Los Blancos are already aware of this tactic employed by Arsenal, it is not easy to stop such a plan, and it will be very interesting to see how Real Madrid decides to deal with this.
The Los Blancos have meticulously trained to counter these threats. The battle for supremacy in set pieces will be crucial, as both teams understand that winning this aspect of the game could turn the tide and influence the match’s outcome. Stopping such a huge aspect of Arsenal’s attack could end up being very profitable for Real Madrid. As Thibaut Courtois said, Real Madrid is determined to completely shut off this route and assert dominance over Arsenal and Thibaut Courtois himself may end up being a key player to help the Los Blancos do this.
For more news articles and informative updates on teams and players like Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Thibaut Courtois, as well as other football and cricket updates, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com.
Guransh Machra is a sportswriter at Gutshot Magazine. He covers football news from local leagues like the Indian Super League as well as international leagues like the Premier League. He follows various sports like Football, Cricket, Formula 1, and Tennis. Apart from sports, Guransh is also enthusiastic about reading and gaming.
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