Courtois says Alonso dismissal was unfair and reveals why he ignored Mourinho’s message

Thibaut Courtois has defended his former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, saying his dismissal after 34 competitive matches was unfair.

The Belgium goalkeeper praised Alonso’s coaching ability and said he had followed his work at Bayer Leverkusen with admiration before the Spaniard moved on to manage Chelsea.

Courtois, in comments reported by Marca, expressed confidence that Alonso would succeed at the London club, although he acknowledged that the manager’s relationship with some Real Madrid players was not always ideal.

“Xabi is an excellent coach,” Courtois said, adding that Alonso had maintained good relationships with many members of the squad.

The goalkeeper also pointed to the pressure managers face when results deteriorate, saying they are often the first people held responsible even when every cause of a team’s decline cannot be attributed to them.

He believes that was the case with Alonso, whose time at Real Madrid ended after 34 official games.

Courtois explains missed Mourinho message

Courtois also discussed his relationship with Jose Mourinho and said he was pleased to see the Portuguese return to management, having wanted to see him back in the game.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper recalled an incident during the World Cup when Mourinho sent him a message that went unanswered for two weeks.

Courtois said he was travelling on a plane without an internet connection and did not recognise the number because he did not have Mourinho’s contact details saved.

When he later returned to Real Madrid, he asked people at the club whether the number belonged to his former manager before realising who had contacted him.

Courtois said Mourinho had changed since the period they spent together at Chelsea about 12 years ago. He described the coach as calmer and more mature, and slightly less intense than he had been.

However, he added that Mourinho’s personality and imposing presence remained intact, saying he was happy to see him return.

Courtois also spoke positively about team-mate Jude Bellingham, describing him as a wonderful person, a good friend and an outstanding player. He highlighted Bellingham’s importance both when Real Madrid have possession and through his movement and defensive responsibilities.

The goalkeeper said he had considered retiring from international football after the World Cup but had enjoyed representing Belgium and playing in the tournament.

He is now prepared to return if selected by the manager during European Championship qualifying, although he stressed that his place is not guaranteed. Courtois said he must prove that he deserves to be Belgium’s first-choice goalkeeper.

He explained that his absence from the Nations League had been caused by fixture congestion and a need to rest, alongside injuries and family circumstances, including his father’s wedding last September.