Thibaut Courtois has responded to Chelsea fans who booed him during the Champions League quarter-final tie and defended his decision to kiss the Real Madrid badge.
Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper, has hit back at Chelsea supporters following the hostile reception he received during Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final match at Stamford Bridge.
The Belgian international, who spent seven years at Chelsea, including a three-year loan spell at Atletico Madrid, before joining Real Madrid in 2018, was booed by the home fans throughout the match and was even labeled a “traitor” by some sections of the crowd.
Despite the hostility, Courtois produced a series of excellent saves and even celebrated wildly after denying Marc Cucurella a goal before the break. At the end of the match, he was seen kissing the Real Madrid badge, which further infuriated the home supporters.
In a post-match interview with
, Courtois defended his actions and said that he will not change his behavior, despite the abuse he received from the fans. “It’s okay. Like I’ve said before, obviously it’s a pity. I had four beautiful years here, I will never forget it, I know I owe a lot to Chelsea. So obviously it’s a pity now it’s like this,” said the 30-year-old.
“But five years have passed, if it’s still like this, I will not obviously change my behavior and celebrate the goals and everything because in the end, they will not change their [behavior]. In the end, I will still wish them really well, I have a lot of friends still in the medical staff, the physios.”
Courtois’ response to the jeers from the Chelsea fans has divided opinions, with some criticizing him for his lack of respect towards his former club, while others have defended him, arguing that he was merely expressing his loyalty to Real Madrid.
Whatever the case may be, it is clear that the goalkeeper’s return to Stamford Bridge was an emotionally charged affair and one that is likely to be remembered for a long time to come.