In an eye-opening interview with Sporza, Thibaut Courtois addressed the claims that he had expressed his reluctance to play with players who had recently been relegated during the European Championship qualifier against Austria. It was rumored that this statement was directed at several players from Leicester City who had been involved in their Premier League relegation.
Courtois refuted these claims, stating that he never made such a remark and attributing it to certain players leaking information to the media. He emphasized his belief in the abilities of his teammates, particularly mentioning his longstanding relationships with players like Castagne, Tielemans, and Praet. However, he did admit that having players with a history of relegation in the team could make it challenging to overcome deficits in a match.
This interview also shed light on Courtois’ decision to leave the national team midway through the qualification campaign, following a dispute with head coach Domenico Tedesco. The goalkeeper openly criticized Tedesco’s handling of the situation, leading to conflicting opinions from the public.
As a result of his recent injury, Courtois has opted to focus on rehabilitation and will not be available for the upcoming European Championships. His future with the national team remains uncertain, as it depends on the potential resolution of the strained relationship between the goalkeeper and the head coach. However, after this interview, reconciliation seems unlikely in the near future.
