Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has revealed that his former goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois would not start ahead of current Atleti star Jan Oblak if both players were at the club.
The former Atletico shot-stopper – who spent three years on loan at the club before becoming a regular at Chelsea – left the Premier League club for Real Madrid this summer following a desperate transfer window for the Belgium No.1.
Since moving to Real Madrid, the 26-year-old has had to make do with minimal showings due to the continued form and good faith shown in current first-choice Keylor Navas.
Simeone was a big part in Courtois’ rise in football, utilising him in Atletico’s starting XI before Oblak stepped in following Courtois’ departure.
Now, the Argentine has insisted that his current No.1 is a better player than his former go-to man between the sticks.
“Courtois would not be a starter at Atlético, Oblak is better,” he said via the Express.
Courtois made it clear he didn’t want to stay in London to continue his career and was rumoured to have refused to come in for pre-season training for the Stamford Bridge club prior to his move to Spain.
Speaking recently, the former Blues man admitted that the whole transfer saga fills him with sadness but also insisted that not everyone knows the true story.
Courtois said: “It makes me feel sad and obviously they don’t know all the truth.
“I think in March the decision was already made and I thought the club would accept it.
“Then because the transfer was closed I did not show up because I thought it better not to disturb the team and the squad.”
Real Madrid play Athletic Bilbao on Saturday away in La Liga.
The post Diego Simeone: Oblak is better than Courtois appeared first on Squawka News.
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