Thibaut Courtois has refuted the claims that he isn’t the complete goalkeeper after being compared to David de Gea.
The Belgian shot stopper was Real Madrid ’s hero in the Champions League final victory last week, denying Liverpool time and time again during the 1-0 win. In total Courtois made nine saves in total and demanded respect, believing he is underrated in England, despite his time with Chelsea.
''I saw a lot of tweets coming my way today saying that I will be humbled, but I think it was the other way around,” he explained after lifting the European Cup. ''Today I needed to win a final for my career, for all the hard work - to put respect on my name because I don't think I have a lot of respect in England.''
And the 30-year-old has again hit back at what he saw as a slight on his ability, when being grouped with the United No.1. De Gea enjoyed a fine season for the Red Devils, winning the Players’ Player of the Year, but was left out of Luis Enrique’s most Spain squad.
When pressed on his exclusion, Enrique suggested that Unai Simon, David Raya and Robert Sanchez all had the edge when it came to distribution and coming out for crosses. "I look to have three starting goalkeepers and I think that right now I have them. Honestly. I wouldn’t have an issue with any of the three of them starting," he said.
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"Unai has accumulated some interesting experience. A goalkeeper should start the play and generate the first superiority, they must dominate the aerial play. I need a goalkeeper that transmits peace and calmness to me - and that doesn’t mean they won’t make mistakes, errors are part of football. But what they generate I like a lot."
In response to the Spain boss’s verdict, the David Brent of YouTube, United blogger Mark Goldbridge said: “All these Enrique quotes about De Gea...Dave just won players’ player of the year. Courtois won man of the match in a UCL final and isn't quick off his line or good with his feet. A keeper's first job is to save goals and we have one of the best in the business.”
Courtois then quickly responded with a collection of images showing him claiming crosses during the win over Liverpool, often under intense pressure from attacking players. He then clarified the meaning behind his post, adding: “I was just answering the fact that I don’t collect crosses. I would never talk bad about another goalie.”
The United We Stand presenter then replied: “I was actually talking about sweeper keeping and ball distribution. Some value it over actual shot stopping. Which is what I was highlighting with you and De Gea.”
But Courtois wasn’t having any of it and made sure he got the last word and suggested the initial post was ‘putting him down’: “Well, it still just shows you haven’t watched me play since I left Chelsea. As this year all the build up starts with me. I am not the best, but certainly not how you put me down.”
