Courtois Reveals the 'Sweep the Leg' Technique That Saved Real Madrid Against Benfica
Thibaut Courtois explains the volleyball-inspired save technique he learned at Chelsea that kept Real Madrid alive in the Champions League.
Vinicius nicked the headlines with his late goal, but make no mistake — it was Thibaut Courtois who kept Real Madrid in this tie with one of the saves of the season.
That Save, Explained
If you watched the game, you’ll know exactly which moment we’re on about. Minute 38, Benfica looking dangerous, and then Courtois somehow gets down impossibly low to claw it away. For a bloke who’s 6’6”, it looked physically improbable. Turns out there’s a proper method behind it.
Courtois broke it all down after the final whistle, and honestly it’s fascinating stuff:
- He credits his parents — both volleyball players — for giving him the natural instinct to get low quickly
- He played volleyball himself growing up, which clearly left its mark
- The actual technique is called a “sweep the leg” — you pull one leg away in the movement, which drops your body to the floor rapidly
- And here’s the bit that’ll make Chelsea fans feel a bit smug: he says he learned it during his time at Stamford Bridge
So yeah, chalk one up to west London for that. The big Belgian was clearly chuffed with himself, and fair play — it was an absolute worldie of a stop.
Already Looking Ahead
With the job done against Benfica, Courtois was in a good mood and happy to look at the draw. Real Madrid look set for yet another date with Manchester City in the Champions League — their sixth meeting in the last seven editions of the competition, which is frankly ridiculous when you think about it.
Courtois was pretty relaxed about it, joking that facing City again feels like the dream lottery draw at this point. He did mention Sporting as a potential opponent too, saying it’s a lovely stadium and he hasn’t played there in a long time — but the City tie is clearly the one everyone’s buzzing about in that dressing room.
Honest About Madrid’s Struggles
What stood out, though, was how straight Courtois was about where Madrid are at right now. No flannel, no spin. He was clear that the team aren’t playing their best football:
- Lack of fluidity in build-up play is a real issue
- They need to move the ball side to side quicker to stretch opponents
- When they’re slow on the pass, the opposition just settles in and defends comfortably
- He acknowledged it’s what Ancelotti is pushing them on in training
But — and this is the bit that matters — they’re winning. Ugly, scrappy, whatever you want to call it, they’re grinding results out. Courtois summed it up pretty neatly: getting the win is what counts right now, even if the performances aren’t exactly free-flowing.
For a side that’s been patchy all season, that mentality might just be what carries them deep into the latter stages. They’ve done it before, after all.