Courtois eases injury concerns ahead of Real Madrid return: ‘Don’t feel any discomfort anymore’

Courtois eases injury concerns ahead of Real Madrid return: ‘Don’t feel any discomfort anymore’ Thibaut Courtois has confirmed that the injury which forced him off during the FIFA World Cup is now behind him, insisting he will return to Real Madrid fully fit later this week. The veteran goalkeeper suffered the thigh injury while playing for Belgium in the World Cup quarter-final against Spain, raising concerns over his availability for the start of the season. Fears eased However, Courtois has now confirmed that his recovery is going well and that the injury was never a major concern. “I don’t feel any discomfort anymore,” he told HLN (h/t AS ) during his vacation. “Anyway, it was rather a minor injury; even during the match I felt it wasn’t anything serious.  He is expected back at Valdebebas by the end of the week and has no concerns about his fitness. “Some are still talking about two or three weeks… but as soon as I have to train again, I’ll be ready,”  Courtois reassured. Recovered. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) With those comments, Courtois made it clear that he has fully recovered. Injury sustained during the World Cup The issue first arose on 10 July during Belgium’s World Cup quarter-final against Spain. Courtois experienced significant pain in his left quadriceps and went to ground. The Real Madrid veterean reassured the medical staff that he believed he could continue if they helped him with long goal kicks, as the discomfort mainly affected his ability to strike the ball over long distances rather than his jumping or shot-stopping. However, head coach Rudi Garcia decided to replace him. Senne Lammens came on in goal, but his introduction proved costly. Less than 15 minutes later, he failed to hold Pau Cubarsi’s shot, allowing Mikel Merino to score from the rebound. By then, Courtois was already on the bench in tears. He reported to Valdebebas on 13 July, the opening day of Jose Mourinho’s pre-season, alongside the other first-team players not involved in the World Cup and those recovering from long-term injuries. Medical examinations confirmed that the problem was only a minor injury , allowing him to begin his holiday with confidence that he would be available for the start of the La Liga season. Return to training imminent Courtois will resume training this week. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) There had been some uncertainty over whether Courtois would need to ease himself back into training, but the goalkeeper has now dismissed those concerns. He is expected to return to Valdebebas later this week, fully prepared to resume work with the squad after several weeks of rest. New leadership role at Real Madrid Courtois is now spending the final days of his holiday with his family before returning to Madrid for a season in which he will remain Real Madrid’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper. He will also take on greater responsibility within the squad’s leadership group. Following Dani Carvajal’s departure, Courtois moves from fourth to third in the captaincy hierarchy , with only Federico Valverde and Vinicius Jr. having greater seniority. The Belgian has also reiterated his desire to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu for several more years. For now, Courtois’ message is simple: he is close to recovering fully and ready to begin the new season.