Belgium’s national team plays against Estonia without star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois from Real Madrid.
The Belgian association confirmed this without giving reasons. “I’m surprised and shocked,” said coach Domenico Tedeso at the press conference on the upcoming game, according to the newspaper “Het Laatste Nieuws”: “We didn’t expect something like this to happen.”
According to Belgian media reports, the 31-year-old keeper is upset that he didn’t get the captain’s armband from the German coach after Kevin De Bruyne was injured in the 1-1 draw with Austria last Saturday. Instead of Courtois, Tedesco had made striker Romelu Lukaku captain. They decided in March that behind De Bruyne Lukaku and Courtois were equal deputies.
After the game, however, the keeper was offended and announced that he wanted to go home, Tedesco said.
Thibaut Courtois probably skips team meeting
According to media reports, Courtois should have been captain this Tuesday in Tallinn against Estonia (8:45 p.m.). Despite this, the 2018 FIFA World Goalkeeper of the Year did not show up for a team meeting to prepare for the game.
Since Koen Casteels from VfL Wolfsburg is currently injured, Matz Sels from Racing Straßburg should now be in the Belgian goal on Tuesday.
The Belgian team had already fallen out at the World Cup in Qatar and failed as the secret favorite in the preliminary round.
Former Bundesliga coach Tedesco took over the team from Roberto Martínez after the World Cup and celebrated a 3-2 win in Germany, among other things.