Thibaut Courtois, the former Chelsea goalkeeper who now plays for Real Madrid, has suffered yet another injury setback. The 31-year-old has not played a single game this season after tearing his cruciate ligament in August. Just as he was getting back into training, Courtois tore the meniscus in his right knee, leaving him in tears and likely ruling him out for the rest of the campaign. He is now set to undergo surgery to repair the knee injury.
Courtois’ absence from the pitch has been a blow for Real Madrid, who had signed Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan from Chelsea to fill in for him. However, Arrizabalaga has since lost his place in the side to Andriy Lunin, who has been the regular starter since November. With Courtois now facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Lunin will likely continue as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper.
This latest injury setback comes amidst a public feud between Courtois and Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco. Courtois publicly called Tedesco a liar on social media, which has thrown his international future into doubt. Courtois has won 102 caps for Belgium throughout his career, but his outburst may have strained his relationship with the national team.
The bad blood between Courtois and Tedesco dates back to last June when the Belgium boss decided not to give Courtois the captain’s armband for matches against Austria and Estonia. It seems that their disagreement has not been resolved and continues to simmer in the background.
For Courtois, this series of injuries and controversies have undoubtedly been a setback. As one of the top goalkeepers in the world, he will be eager to get back on the pitch and prove himself once again. However, it remains to be seen how long his recovery will take and whether he will be able to regain his form and secure his place in both the Real Madrid and Belgium teams.
In the meantime, Real Madrid will have to rely on Lunin to fill the void left by Courtois. The young Ukrainian goalkeeper has impressed since taking over as the team’s first-choice and will be looking to continue his strong performances. As for Courtois, he will have to focus on his recovery and hope to return stronger than ever.