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Thibaut Courtois has confirmed that he will miss Euro 2024 due to a knee injury that has already sidelined him for the entire current season.
Courtois tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in August, and surgery revealed that the Belgian goalkeeper would miss the entire 2023-24 season. Real Madrid quickly signed Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga, and the former Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper has shared deputising duties with Andriy Lunin this season.
Because Courtois will not play a single competitive match this season, even if he recovers before the tournament begins in mid-June, he admits he will not be at the level required to compete in such a prestigious competition.
“Due to the injury, there will be no European Champions for me,” Courtois told Belgian outlet Sporza. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to play another match in May. However, you can never be ready for a big tournament.”
Thibaut Courtois | The Octopus | The Giraffe | The GOAT
The Real Madrid goalkeeper also discussed his recent public spat with Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco.
Courtois was publicly accused by the new Red Devils manager of leaving the camp too soon. It was when Coutois passed over for captaincy in Kevin De Bruyne’s absence in June.
Romelu Lukaku and Courtois are Belgium’s vice captains. However, Tedesco decided to give the striker the armband on Courtois’ 100th cap against Austria.
In response, Courtois issued a strongly worded statement refuting the manager’s remarks.
“This afternoon I was surprised to hear the coach’s press conference in which he gave a partial and subjective account of a private conversation we had after the match against Austria,” Courtois wrote in the statement.
“I want to be clear that this is not the first or last time I have spoken with a coach about locker room issues, but it is the first time that someone has decided to tell it publicly.” Although I am very unhappy, I want to be clear that the coach’s evaluations are not accurate.
Following the incident in the Sporza interview, Courtois seemed uncertain about his willingness to make amends with the manager.
“It’s no problem for me to sort things out like two adults. But where’s the middle ground after such a betrayal of trust? Courtois explained.
The 31-year-old missed the following game against Estonia three days later in June, with Strasbourg’s Matz Sels filling in.
Koen Casteels appears to be the favorite to replace Courtois in the finals. When Wolfsburg’s keeper suffering an injury during the October international break, Matz Sels took over once more.
