Thibaut Courtois labelled the 3-0 victory over City as a "beautiful night", but warned that the job is "only half done" as he looked ahead to a challenging evening at the Etihad Stadium next Tuesday.

"It was a beautiful night, but ultimately, it's only half the tie. I'm incredibly happy with the team's effort and intensity, and seeing everyone fight for one another. We have a lot of injuries, but we fought until the end with no excuses. It's a positive result, but I remember previous defeats at the Etihad that prove anything is still possible," he told reporters in the Santiago Bernabeu mixed zone.

Alvaro Arbeloa likened Fede Valverde, who netted a hat-trick in Real Madrid's victory, to "the Juanito of the 21st Century". Courtois was quick to echo those sentiments regarding the Uruguayan midfielder.

"Fede is incredibly fast, strong, good in the air, and strikes the ball so well. We had worked on exploiting the space in behind if they pushed up with a high line, and it worked perfectly for us. His third goal was absolutely stunning, and I'm delighted for him. I didn't see Juanito play, but he is an iconic figure, and Fede is already a club legend," he declared.

The opening goal was sparked by a pinpoint long pass from Courtois, releasing the Uruguayan through on goal. "The team knows I have good distribution, particularly with my range on long balls, and we made the most of that. It's much easier against teams playing a high line than those who sit deep. I'm very pleased with the pass," he stated.

Courtois also highlighted the factors behind Madrid's improved performance. "We have to be self-critical because we don't always play with this level of intensity, concentration, and 100 per cent commitment. We need to replicate this more often. In La Liga, some teams defend very deep, and we struggle to find spaces. City are very expansive, and that creates spaces that simply aren't there in domestic matches," he remarked.

Courtois preserved his clean sheet with a superb save using his feet after Thiago Pitarch was caught in possession inside his own box. "We always try to find the 'third man', which is why I played the pass to him, but he was closed down from behind. He's a player who loves having the ball at his feet, but you're always at risk of being tackled in that area. I had to react quickly when I saw the shot coming and kept it out with my leg. I'm just delighted to have helped him out," he concluded.

T. Pitarch

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