Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been the subject of a lot of debates after the Blues were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona.
The shot-stopper endured a difficult time in the second leg at the Camp Nou and his performance on that particular night has drawn criticism from former Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal.
Van Gaal told Ziggo Sports: “The game was turned upside down due to the blunder of Courtois [for Messi’s first goal] which I think is a big blunder.
“If he’d have had [Dutch former Manchester United goalkeeping coach] Frans Hoek as goalkeeper coach, he would have closed his legs.
“That just should not be allowed to happen.”
But Courtois has not taken these comments lightly and has hit back at the former Bayern Munich manager.
Courtois told Sporza: “When I hear so-called experts talking, I think they know nothing about goalkeeping — for example, Van Gaal should not talk about goalkeepers.
“I have often played against Messi and it was not the first time he scored with a shot between my legs.
“For a goalkeeper of my height, it is probably my weakest point. That is very annoying, but I have to face it. I have to acknowledge my mistake as a man.”
Before that ill-fated night at the Camp Nou, the Chelsea fans were urging Thibaut Courtois to sign a new deal with the club. But since that performance, the fans are having second thoughts and many claim that it is best to let his move to Real Madrid and instead look for a new No 1.
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