Real Madrid’s Raul Albiol & Alvaro Arbeloa: Peter Crouch scored many goals for us on PlayStation

Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa has recounted how in the summer he and Raul Albiol used to play PlayStation in England colours and deploy Tottenham Hotspur striker Peter Crouch upfront.

Madrid and Spurs confront each other in the quarter-finals of the Champions League this month with the first leg scheduled to be played at the Bernabeu next week.

Bet: £5 £10 £20 £50 £100

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Spain £14.00

Draw £40.00

Serbia £75.00

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Spain £13.60

Draw £40.00

Serbia £70.00

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Spain £13.64

Draw £45.00

Serbia £80.00

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Spain £14.00

Draw £45.00

Serbia £80.00

Bet: £5 £10 £20 £50 £100

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Spain £14.20

Draw £39.00

Serbia £70.00

In an interview with the Guardian ahead of the clash, Madrid full-back Arbeloa has revealed that during the World Cup in South Africa in the summer he and Albiol used to play in England colours against Spain international team-mates Sergio Ramos and Jesus Navas.

"During the World Cup we were on the PlayStation constantly," said Arbeloa. "It was always el Chori [Raul Albiol] and me against Sergio Ramos and Jesús Navas. They were Spain, we were England and it got pretty intense.

“We always put Crouch up front – and he scored loads. We bought ourselves England shirts. You'd be there in the Spain hotel and there were two guys in white, 'Gerrard' and 'Crouch' on the back."

The former Liverpool defender, though, warned: "Spurs might not be as famous as Chelsea or Manchester United but they will be very dangerous.

“I wasn't pleased with the draw because it was easy but because I wanted to play in England. And when I saw Spurs, I said to el Chori: 'We're going to get Crouch shirts, so we can play in them – real ones, this time.' It'll be a bit big on me, but still ..."

Crouch has been a regular goalscorer for Tottenham in the Champions League, having netted seven times in nine games. Arbeloa knows that the England international is a threat but is confident that they can stop him.

"Maybe in England they're more used to players like Crouch," said the 28-year-old. "Players who are tall, strong, good in the air. England is much tougher, physically. They know how to deal with players like Crouch. In Europe, it is harder to face him. Centre-backs don't like it – that could be an explanation for the difference.

"We believe we're ready for that because we have players who are strong in the air and Ricardo Carvalho has played in England. but we can't play to Crouch's strengths. We have to push the defensive line as high as possible, to keep him away from the area. He's tall but not that quick.

"We can risk giving him space in behind but we can't risk him receiving in our penalty area: that's where he causes problems, with knockdowns, second balls and headers.”

This is Madrid’s first appearance in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in seven years and is Tottenham’s debut season in Europe’s premier club competition.

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