Upon the day Thibaut Courtois sustained a potentially career-ending injury, he returned home with his left leg fully covered in bandages. Despite his predicament, he confidently assured a friend waiting for him that he would secure the Champions League victory, believing that he still had time. Roughly nine months later, after enduring a second ligament tear in his other knee and countless painful hours of therapy, along with the assistance of his surgeons, physiotherapists, and the substitute goalkeeper who sustained Real Madrid in his absence, his aspiration became a reality. In achieving this, Thibaut Courtois had already tasted victory.
The incident took place on the 10th of August. Courtois’ wife, Mishel Gerzig, recalls that something seemed awry that morning. And just two days prior to Real Madrid’s initial game at Athletic, Courtois attempted to block an incoming shot during their training session at Valdebebas. As he hastened towards the ball, attempting to intercept it from Rodrygo, an injury suddenly occurred.
His anguished cries made it evident for his teammates that something had gone terribly wrong. Subsequent diagnostics confirmed their worries; Courtois had torn the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. Initial prognosis suggested that he might have prematurely concluded his season. As Courtois penned in his journal later that day, “You never anticipate a situation like this. It’s time now to acknowledge it, to fight back, and return stronger.”
While the prognosis was held confidential, an operation performed on the 17th of August in Madrid indicated that it would require a recovery period ranging from eight to nine months before he could return to the field. The probability of him returning to his peak form was still in question, as such an injury often leaves enduring effects on a player.
Despite the absence of a definite timeline and the chance of facing numerous obstacles, Courtois was determined to return to the field in time for the Champions League. Together with his replacement goalkeeper, Andriy Lunin, he turned this ambition into reality.
Reflecting upon that fateful day in August, Courtois expressed, “When I got injured, I burst into tears because the ACL rupture is among the worst injuries any player could sustain. But since the very beginning, I decided to stay optimistic, to push my boundaries, and never surrender. While a lot of people believed that my season was over, I never doubted my comeback.”
He hadn’t entirely freed himself from his knee support before he recommenced his training, focusing on agility and reaction drills from the hip upwards atop a safety mat. Being injured doesn’t entail more rest, on the contrary, it demands less. The strategy is preemptive instead of responsive, always pushing to expand one’s limits.
While parts of his training incorporated computer-generated scenarios requiring him to save goals, the agony he endured was genuinely palpable. Every single morning, he arrived at Valdebebas to work with Davide Violati, the main physiotherapist for the team, and his crew, spending five hours or more in double sessions daily.
From the workout space, he had a clear view of his colleagues practising on the pitch. A mate commented on the difficulty of such a situation, lauding his mental strength by dubbing him “a rock”. Gradually, on a day-to-day, week-by-week basis, he inched closer to his goal. Carlo Ancelotti revealed post the match with Osasuna on 16th March that the plan was for Courtois to participate in the next match against Athletic. But, on 19th March, with a majority of the team gone for international duties, Courtois experienced a snap in his right knee amidst a hushed Valdebebas after making a save during training.
“Courtois prematurely ends season … again,” the headlines blared. An upshot of preserving his weakened knee, the cause was a combination of physical dynamics and mental outlook. Overcome by the magnitude of the setback, he tearfully exited Valdebebas, feeling as though his world had come crashing down. However, the distress was transient, the second injury, albeit serious, paled in comparison to the first. It was the meniscus this time, a deja-vu of an earlier injury during his Chelsea stint that had sidelined him for a quarter of a year. Surgeons had mended the ligament then, but, with time, the loosened stitches left the ligament susceptible.
Two choices emerged; to repair or to discard it. The former implied a 3-month hiatus, the latter a 6-week break. They chose the latter, but it was more of a constructive corrective operation than anything else. Most problematic was the ill-timed occurrence.
Courtois, in a conversation with RMTV, expressed his uncertainties about getting back to the game after the second injury but ultimately celebrated his return with four games, ending with his participation in the finals. He described his first game back after a 322-day gap against Cádiz, that took place on May 4th, just days prior to the Champions League semi-final round two against Bayern Munich. In that game, he successfully blocked a shot from opposition striker Chris Ramos, a feat that generated an infectious energy in the field, reminding Courtois of the enthusiasm he felt during the 2022 Champions League final in Paris.
Describing the nervous anticipation he felt, Courtois also noted how on-field situations like one-on-ones were unpredictable. During his absence, a surprise development took place in Real Madrid as Lunin, rising from the shadows, became an unanticipated saviour. This unexpected hero played a crucial role in getting the team to the final against Borussia Dortmund for the Champions League, held at Wembley on the subsequent Saturday. Lunin filled in the shoes of Courtois, becoming Madrid’s first choice despite the club’s haste to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga on an emergency basis after Courtois’s initial injury.
While Courtois was on sick leave in the hospital—during which his daughter unfortunately suffered a broken arm—he observed Lunin’s rise through the ranks from the smaller screen of his mobile phone. He had not missed out on any home games throughout the season and witnessed Lunin’s ascent to success firsthand. Despite Courtois’s return to the field, Lunin continued as Madrid’s first-choice goalkeeper till the semi-finals, leaving Courtois on the bench.
Lunin, with his gaze set on 1st June in London, rallied his energies. Despite time constraints, he believed there was sufficient time and opportunities to demonstrate his readiness. This was equally valid for Éder Militão, who had a cruciate injury 50 minutes into the inaugural game of the season. The victory in league titles presented them with potential chances devoid of risk. “Éder and he need more time playing,” commented Ancelotti.
Only three days following the second leg, Courtois lasted the full 90-minute game against Granada, and yet another 90 minutes three days hence. That evening, as Alavés aimed 18 shots at the Santiago Bernabéu, 10 on target, it turned out to be the most fortunate situation for Madrid.
[Real Madrid, the champions of comebacks, shocks Bayern to secure place in Champions League final]
Not since Iker Casillas’ experience in 2007-08, were any of their goalkeepers at the receiving end of as many target shots, and despite not all saves being spectacular, Courtois thwarted all. “I was in need of a game of this type,” he confessed, “I’m the same Courtois, if not better.” The headlines in AS rejoiced: “The Wall returns.”
Courtois played 333 minutes across the last five end-of-season games, created four clean sheets, stopping all 17 on-target shots. Madrid drew 4-4 with Villarreal in the only match he missed. Although it may appear routine, Militão, recovering from the same injury, appeared off his mark and wouldn’t commence at Wembley.
In the games against Alavés and Betis where he made a double save, “I’ve proved to not have lost my agility or my fitness,” stated Courtois. “I might have even enhanced them. Even though it was unimaginable two or three months ago, I’m at 100% and available for the manager, ready to assist the team.
“When injured, you’re obligated to assert that you’re unchanged and that entails hard graft. We’ve accomplished that. Currently, I’m content, agile, moving well. I’m training thoroughly and feel robust. No doubts remain.”
-Guardian