Thibaut Courtois will be watching from home as Belgium look to keep their Euro 2024 hopes alive.
The Real Madrid goalkeeper was a shock absentee when the Red Devils announced their squad for the tournament in Germany.
Courtois returned to the Real side for the final few games of the campaign after a long spell on the sidelines following an ACL injury.
He started and kept a clean sheet as Carlo Ancelotti’s men beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the Champions League final on June 1.
However, he has missed out on the opportunity to follow up on that success in Germany and talkSPORT.com has taken a look at why…
Why is Courtois not playing at Euro 2024?
Courtois is not at Euro 2024 as he was deemed ‘not ready’ to play.
Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco revealed the reason for leaving the first-choice goalkeeper out in a press conference after the announcement.
He said: “He was honest and clear. He knows his body the best, and it’s different to play every three or four days during a tournament.
“So, when taking all this into consideration, we didn’t think he was ready for the Euros.
“Of course, we now plan with the players that are able to play.”
Courtois only made his first start of the season in May and doubts over his long-term fitness led to Tedesco deciding to leave him out of the squad.
Playing so regularly in a tournament would majorly risk reinjuring his ACL and for a 32-year-old player that could have a major impact on his career if it happened.
So instead, it is Koen Casteels of VfL Wolfsburg who has claimed the No.1 shirt.
But his time between the sticks didn’t start too well, conceding to Slovakia as Belgium fell to a shock defeat in their opener.
But he will be back in goal as Belgium look to turn things around against Romania.
News Summary:
- Why is Thibaut Courtois not playing at Euro 2024? Belgium without Real Madrid goalkeeper weeks after Champions League final
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