Just two days before the team’s first match of the season, Real Madrid suffered a severe setback when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois ruptured a ligament in his left knee on Thursday.
The team announced that its top goalie would need surgery, which would likely keep him out of action for the most of the season.
Courtois said on his social media pages, “You never expect to go through something like this, but now it’s time to accept it and do all necessary to overcome it and come back even stronger. “I want to thank you all for your support, love, and encouragement. I promise you that they inspire me to get better as soon as possible.”
The injury happened in the midst of practice and after an offseason that saw experienced striker Karim Benzema leave his position.
Due to a knee issue that will likely also need surgery, newly recruited midfielder Arda Güler will also be out for a while, maybe many weeks.
Since his transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid in 2018, the 31-year-old Courtois has been a key component of Madrid’s success. The goals by Benzema were well balanced by his saves. The representative of Belgium helped Madrid win the Copa del Rey last season, the Spanish league in 2020, and the Champions League in 2022.
In the past, Courtois assisted Chelsea in capturing two Premier League championships and one FA Cup. He played for Atletico Madrid, a rival of Real Madrid, before his time in London, when he helped the team win the Europa championship and the Spanish championship.
When Real Madrid kicks off the season on Saturday against Athletic Bilbao, the Ukrainian player and infrequently used backup Andriy Lunin is ready to replace Courtois.
The club was anticipated to attempt to recruit another goalkeeper, with Spanish media naming a list of potential replacements that included former Manchester United star David de Gea, Kepa Arrizabalaga of Chelsea, and Sevilla’s Yassine Bono.
