Belgium national team manager, Dominic Tedesco, has revealed that Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois needs to give in to the demands of his body, and communication of his demands has meant that the goalkeeper was left out of the Belgium team to the summer European championship in Germany.
Courtois was out of action for the majority of the season due to injury and only returned to action less than a month ago. While Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is ready to trust and thrust him to action in the UEFA Champions League final against Dortmund on Saturday, Tedesco stood on his words earlier in March to omit the goalkeeper.
Belgium released their Euro squad with 25 men on Tuesday, with Tedesco reflecting on Courtois’s exemption.
“Courtois was very clear and honest and early in his communication. The latest information we received is that he is not ready for the European Championships. He knows his body best.” Tedesco said.
The Red Devils can still add another player just before UEFA’s deadline on June 7 elapses. Belgium will face the trio of Romania, Ukraine, and Slovakia in Group E, with their opening match of the tournament against the Slovaks in Frankfurt on June 17.
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, and Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard and Romelu Lukaka are some of the names on the list.
Belgium squad:
Goalkeepers: Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest), Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg), Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town).
Defenders: Wout Faes (Leicester), Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Arthur Theate (Rennes), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht), Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Thomas Meunier (Trabzonspor), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge).
Midfielders: Aster Vranckx (Wolfsburg), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Orel Mangala (Lyon), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Arthur Vermeeren (Atletico Madrid), Amadou Onana (Everton).
Forwards: Romelu Lukaku (Roma), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Lois Openda (Leipzig), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal), Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla), Yannick Carrasco (Al-Shabab).
