Real Madrid has suffered a fresh injury setback as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been diagnosed with sacroiliitis. The Belgian shotstopper is now at risk of missing the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.
In a medical report on the club’s website, Los Blancos disclosed that Courtois was diagnosed with the injury following a medical test. However, no further details were given as to how long he will be out for.
Courtois’ injury comes a few weeks before the FIFA Club World Cup set to commence in the United States from July 15. The 33-year-old suffered multiple injuries during the 2024-25 campaign, which saw him miss about 13 matches.
He picked up an adductor injury in early October 2024, only to suffer a setback from the same injury days later. Courtois was also sidelined between March and April with a muscle injury.
Despite the setbacks, Thibaut Courtois still racked up 46 appearances across competitions in the 2024-25 season. He conceded 55 goals and kept 14 clean sheets, as Los Blancos ended the season without a trophy
This latest injury is a major setback for the side and new manager Xabi Alonso as they look forward to the Club World Cup. Should Courtois fail to recover in time, Madrid will have to turn to second-choice goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
Real Madrid have been drawn in Group H with Al Hilal, Pachuca, and Red Bull Salzburg. They will kick off their campaign with a clash against Al Hilal at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on June 18.
As per Marca, Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has informed the club that he wishes to continue at the Santiago Bernabeu. This comes after the Brazilian star was reported to be unhappy at the club, fueling reports of a possible exit this summer.
Premier League sides Arsenal and Chelsea have been strongly linked with a move for the 24-year-old. Rodrygo was an unused substitute for Madrid’s 4-3 El Clásico defeat to Barcelona last month. He was also left out of the squad by former manager Carlo Ancelotti in succeeding league games towards the end of the season.
However, with Xabi Alonso now at the helm of affairs, the right winger is looking to stay put and compete for a place in the team. Rodrygo scored 13 goals and provided 14 assists in 50 matches across competitions during the 2024-25 season.
A Chelsea fan, Okenna had his first tryst with Blues in 2006, after fellow countryman John Mikel Obi joined the west London club. He was immediately drawn to the brilliance of players like Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, John Terry and Didier Drogba.
Okenna is a huge fan of Lionel Messi for his exceptional talent. He also admires Jose Mourinho for his achievements with various clubs which proves he’s a tactical and disciplined manger as well as a serial winner.
Some of Okenna’s prospective career landmarks include working as an international journalist and covering a FIFA World Cup game live from the stadium. When not writing, he loves watching, movies and reading books.
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