Courtois suffering from 'De Gea syndrome', says Belgium coach

Thibaut Courtois was taken off at half-time in Real Madrid's 2-2 draw with Club Brugge, but Erwin Lemmens has backed him to bounce back.

Published : Oct 02, 2019 23:20 IST

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was subbed at half-time by coach Zinedine Zidane during the 2-2 draw against Club Brugge.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was subbed at half-time by coach Zinedine Zidane during the 2-2 draw against Club Brugge.
lightbox-info

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was subbed at half-time by coach Zinedine Zidane during the 2-2 draw against Club Brugge.

Real Madrid must treat Thibaut Courtois differently to get the best out of him, according to Belgium goalkeeper coach Erwin Lemmens.

Courtois was substituted at half-time in Tuesday's 2-2 Champions League draw against Club Brugge, with Madrid 2-0 down at the time.

The 27-year-old was arguably at fault for Emmanuel Bonaventure Dennis' ninth-minute opener and was again beaten by the Brugge striker later in the half.

Courtois' early withdrawal was put down to illness by boss Zinedine Zidane, but Lemmens has accused Madrid of failing to get the most out of a player that previously impressed for Atletico Madrid and Chelsea.

Comparing his compatriot's woes at the Santiago Bernabeu to David de Gea's slump in form with Manchester United, Lemmens told Radio MARCA: "They have to treat him differently.

"He's a special boy and it's unusual that he's always at the highest level with Belgium, but there he suffers with De Gea syndrome.

 

"If the Bernabeu whistles then you have to look at the team as a whole.

"He's a great goalkeeper and he'll try to make Real Madrid happy again."

READ | The first goal was a joke - Zidane unhappy with Real Madrid's shambolic start

Courtois' Belgium international team-mate Eden Hazard has also made a slow start to life at Madrid following a big-money switch from Chelsea.

Hazard has yet to score or assist in five outings for his new club, but Lemmens has urged Madrid supporters to remain patient.

"Hazard needs time," he said. "But Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world and it's normal for them to want players to play well as soon as they arrive."

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment