Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Thibaut Courtois is relishing a reunion with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid.
Mourinho was confirmed as Madrid’s new coach earlier this week, replacing Alvaro Arbeloa.
The 63-year-old previously coached Madrid between 2010 and 2013, leading Los Blancos to one LaLiga title and forming a fierce rivalry with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
Courtois played under Mourinho at Chelsea, and the Belgian is looking forward to doing so again.
“We had our occasional run-ins, too, of course,” Courtois told reporters with a smile.
“For instance, he benched me against Everton because I’d missed two crosses from the flank in the previous match against Aston Villa.
“It was his way of prodding me. The following week, I was back in goal against West Ham and made five or six crucial saves.
“Mourinho is a very direct manager; I am the same. Our relationship has always been very good.”
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) June 11, 2026
Since he joined Los Blancos in 2018, Courtois has kept 129 clean sheets, which ranks fourth out of all goalkeepers in Europe’s top five leagues in that time.
Of goalkeepers to feature in 50+ games in that same time, Courtois’ 74.3% save ratio ranks third, behind Gianluigi Buffon (74.6%) and Mile Svilar (75.1%).
However, with only a year left to run on his deal at Madrid, the 34-year-old knows he faces an uncertain future.
He said: “At Real Madrid, the prevailing principle dictates that upon reaching the age of 30, contracts are renewed on a year-to-year basis.
“Therefore, I remain quite unconcerned regarding the matter. Should my performance sustain its current level, a renewal presents no issue.
“However, Real Madrid operates as a top-tier club, and at some juncture, they will inevitably contemplate a successor. Ideally, I envision concluding my career in Madrid.”
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