In the 37th minute of the Champions League playoff second leg on the evening of 25/2, Richard Rios fired a low, powerful shot towards the near post of Real Madrid's goal. Courtois's view was obstructed by teammates, but he still managed to dive and make a save with his right hand.

When asked how such a tall goalkeeper could dive so quickly, Courtois replied, "It's due to my parents' genes. They used to play volleyball, and I also played volleyball. It's a save where you have to move your legs out of the way of the ball and dive down very low. It's a technique I learned at Chelsea, and sometimes it's very useful."

Courtois was born into a family where his parents and sister were all former volleyball players. He also played the sport as a child but focused on football from the age of 12.

Courtois (in blue) made a save in the 37th minute of the Champions League playoff second leg, Real 2-1 Benfica on the evening of 25/2. Photo: EPA

At the Bernabeu, hosts Real allowed Benfica to open the scoring in the 14th minute. In this situation, Courtois prevented Raul Asencio from scoring an own goal, but could not stop Rafa Silva's follow-up shot. After the early goal, Real came back through individual brilliance. Aurelien Tchouameni equalized in the 16th minute, followed by Vinicius sealing the victory in the 79th minute.

Courtois admitted that at the start of the match, Real's passing was too slow, lacking flexibility and pace with the ball. "We need to pass from side to side more, move more, and not allow opponents to feel comfortable," the Belgian goalkeeper added. "I don't think the team is playing well, but winning is important right now."

Real won the second leg 2-1, and 3-1 on aggregate, securing a spot in the round of 16. Depending on the draw, they will face Man City or Sporting. Real has faced Man City in six of the last seven Champions League seasons. This season, the two teams also met in the group stage, with Man City winning 2-1 at the Bernabeu.

"We'll face Man City," Courtois replied when asked about potential opponents in the round of 16. "It's been a long time since I faced Sporting. They are also a tough opponent, but we have a long history of playing against Man City. It's a dream matchup with a lot of risks."

The round of 16 draw will take place on Friday, 27/2. The first leg matches will be played on 10 and 11/3, with the second legs on 17 and 18/3.

Thanh Quy (according to Marca)