ON-LOAN Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has continued his feud with Liverpool keeper and international colleague Simon Mignolet over a dispute of who should be number one for Belgium.
Courtois took offence earlier this month when Mignolet made it clear he was hoping to displace the Atletico Madrid stopper as first-choice for his country.
And the 21-year-old has risked escalating the affair by suggesting that Mignolet's comments were a direct attack on him.
"If someone says that he is unfairly left out of the Red Devils' goal, I see that as an attack," Courtois told Sport/Foot Magazine.
"It shows that you do not accept the coach's current choice acouttioud
nd at the same time that you show no respect for the current number one.
"But I do not want my statements to be taken wrongly, as they were last time.
If someone says that he is unfairly left out of the Red Devils' goal, I see that as an attack
"Then it sounded like I said Mignolet must show no ambition. That's not true.
"I understand that he has the ambition of becoming the number one for Belgium. I only say you should also respect those who play."
Earlier this month Courtois said: "In Spain, I hear no goalkeeper saying they're aiming for the place of Casillas," he said.
"Not De Gea, not Valdes, not Reina. It's the opposite - they back Casillas.
"Simon can say whatever he wants, but I think I've already saved enough points for Belgium and I'm playing good games for Atletico. He has to stay humble and respectful."
Courtois is currently the established first-choice for Belgium but boss Marc Wilmots hinted he was looking at his options when he gave Mignolet a rare start in a friendly against Colombia earlier this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment