Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois appeared in a press statement following the 2-1 victory over Benfica in the second leg of the playoff qualifying for the Champions League round of 16, at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

The first leg ended with Real Madrid winning 1-0.

Courtois said after qualifying for the round of 16: "Vinicius' joy? I'm happy that he's dancing and keeps dancing; it means he's scoring goals."

Regarding his remarkable saves: "I am well-prepared for low balls. I have my parents' genes, as they were volleyball players. If I remove my legs in that movement, I can go down quickly, a technique I learned at Chelsea."

He added: "The difficulty of the first half? They didn't play with a right winger, which caused us problems. We managed to adapt in the second half, but we struggled a lot in the first half. We were unlucky with their goal."

He emphasized, "I believe we are reliable; in the Champions League, it's natural to concede opportunities. We lack some fluidity in our play with the ball. We need to move our defensive lines more. This is what the coach asks of us. We haven't reached a great level yet."

He concluded about the round of 16 draw: "You know the draw might pit us against Manchester City... I haven't faced Sporting Lisbon since 2015 when I was with Chelsea. We'll see if things change this time (laughs)."