It’s no secret that Atletico Madrid supporters no longer hold a lot of love for Thibaut Courtois after his 2018 move to bitter rivals Real Madrid. The Belgian goalkeeper was targeted by missiles during the Madrid derby earlier this season, and that led to a partial stadium closure at the Metropolitano.
On the back of that incident, Courtois was involved in a public war of words with his former manager, Diego Simeone. The pair worked together between 2011 and 2014 during the ‘keeper’s extended loan spell at Atleti, and he recalled memories of the Argentine head coach during a recent interview with Rio Ferdinand, as per Diario AS.
“The energy comes from his character, he talks a lot with the team. I remember that before a final against Real Madrid – I think Atleti hadn’t beaten them for about twelve years, I had a talk alone with him and Mono Burgos and he told me: ‘You’re the best, tomorrow you’re going to break it!’. And you’d go to bed like… boahh! And you’re thinking about it.
“On match day he would play you a video of a film with a speech. I always found these things that made you get something out of yourself. The players were above his level, and they could do it because tactically he was also very good. He knew how to activate us. He is a special coach. And I think he always finds a way to reinvent himself, because he’s been there many years and he’s still great. I would love to see him in another country, but I imagine he is happy there.”
It is no surprise that Simeone had such an effect on Courtois, given that he has probably made such a lasting impression of the vast majority of players that he has managed during his long spell in charge of Atletico Madrid.
