IT has really not been a great fortnight for Real Madrid and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
First the return of Zinedine Zidane as Madrid coach saw Courtois lose his place at club level – with Keylor Navas returning to the Blancos first team for the 2-0 La Liga victory over Celta Vigo before the international break.
Then came an unfortunate howler in Belgium’s opening Euro 2020 qualifier last Friday at home to Russia, allowing Valencia’s Denis Cheryshev to score the softest of equalising goals, although Courtois’ side did run out 3-1 victors in the end.
Just seen the Russia goal.
How on earth has Courtois been winning all these awards for best goalkeeper in the world?
Simply can’t be a great modern GK unless you’re terrific with your feet. Courtois couldn’t be farther from that. Such a liability.
— EiF (@EiFSoccer) March 21, 2019
It all added to the feeling that things have not been going exactly to plan since the 2018 World Cup ‘golden glove’ winner joined Madrid after finalising a £35 million move from Chelsea last summer.
On arrival Courtois was not universally welcomed – as Navas had burnished his reputation by keeping goal as the team won the previous three Champions League titles. The previous first choice also had some very influential allies in both the Bernabeu dressing-room and the local press – and is also a very sensitive soul.
Even before Courtois had arrived from Chelsea last August, the Costa Rica international was telling reporters who asked if he felt he was being pushed out that “I have as much enthusiasm for leaving Madrid as I do for dying.”
Then Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui tried to sensitively start a transition, rotating his keepers between La Liga and the Champions League. Courtois then became undisputed first choice when Santi Solari took over in October.
Thibaut Courtois’ future at Real Madrid is uncertain after Zinedine Zidane, who moved to block the signing of the Belgian during his previous stint in charge, returned to the club. (Independent) pic.twitter.com/5086jlTXru
— Simon Phillips (@SiPhillipsSport) March 12, 2019
Meanwhile results have not been good all season. Courtois has been between the posts for most of the biggest humiliations – including a 1-5 La Liga Clasico defeat at Barcelona, 0-3 in La Liga at Eibar and 0-3 at home to CSKA in the Champions League. None of those look good.
Just 10 clean sheets in 29 La Liga and Champions League games is also not a great return for a keeper used to much better personal stats at former clubs Atletico Madrid and Chelsea. But Courtois has also had seriously little protection from his defence, with first choice centre-backs Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane in particular having lacked focus all year.
There have been two very costly personal mistakes – misjudging a corner to allow Alaves scramble a 95th minute winner in October, and most recently being caught out by Ajax midfielder Lasse Schone’s free kick from way out on the left wing to help seal Madrid’s UCL exit and Solari’s departure.
That led directly to Zidane coming back to the Bernabeu, and Navas immediately getting just his second La Liga start in six months. The 32-year-old saved well from Celta’s only shot on target over the 90 minutes, to get Madrid’s first clean sheet in eight games.
Keylor Navas on Courtois: “Competitions always have to be healthy, I have no problem in getting along and living with Courtois. My relationship with him is normal. I’m not a machine, but the majority of my training are at the same level and I can defend what I’m saying.” [cope] pic.twitter.com/BJHZsX1qBm
— SB (@Realmadridplace) March 20, 2019
“Today Keylor played, and Thibaut [Courtois] will play too,” Zidane said afterwards. “This will always come up here, but Madrid need two, three, four great goalkeepers. So the coach always has the problem of who to pick. I will count on both until the end of the season, then we will see.”
Navas however appears keen to push home his advantage at the moment. “I don’t know,” the former Levante goalkeeper replied when asked last week if he could stomach another season on the bench. “I would not like to have another year like this one. I know that Zidane will tell me the truth, he is a great coach who gives a chance to all his players.”
Courtois has also not really helped himself as quotes from interviews in the Belgian media have regularly made their way back to Spain and caused problems around the Bernabeu – such as his prediction that he would be targeted by Atletico fans ahead of early February’s La Liga derbi, and the revelation that Gareth Bale was known as “the golfer” by his teammates.
There was also an interestingly timed Marca story claiming that Madrid’s hierarchy had “spoken seriously with” Thibaut about his public comments and asked him to “focus on sporting matters and get back to his best level”.
OK Dario's Eduardo Inda: "The players of Real Madrid believe they did not have to sign a goalkeeper last year. Courtois was not liked by the Real Madrid squad, zero. They are to death with Keylor Navas." pic.twitter.com/0HHgAXOy3I
— Sarrismo™ (@Blue_Footy) March 20, 2019
Speaking after the Russia game last Friday Courtois appeared to know where his real problem was. “I consider myself to be one of the best, although the Spanish press would love to kill me,” he said. “I feel very strong and I'm at ease because I know I train and play well. It was a small error, but these things happen in the life of a goalkeeper.”
Signed on a six-year deal last summer as a long-term bet by Madrid president Florentino Perez, Courtois should in theory stay calm and manage to ride out the current storms. The local media do love the quotes they get from the easily provoked Navas, but the former Levante player has never really convinced those at the top of the Bernabeu hierarchy.
The feeling still is though that, while the last few weeks, and months, have not been so great for Courtois, better times are still to come at the Bernabeu. Once he avoids any more clangers between now and the end of the season, he can have another fresh start at Madrid next year.
