Thibaut Courtois left sick to the stomach at Real Madrid’s first-half performance as club confirm keeper was substituted at break due to illness
- Real Madrid were 2-0 down at home to Club Brugge in the Champions League
- At half-time in the tie, Thibaut Courtois was replaced in goal by Alphonse Areola
- It was later confirmed that ex-Chelsea keeper Courtois had been sick at break
- Areola went on to help Real Madrid fight back to secure a 2-2 draw at Bernabeu
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was left sick to the stomach on Tuesday night as Real Madrid went 2-0 down in the first half against Club Brugge.
He was whistled by the Bernabeu and he did not show for the second period amid reports he had been sick at half-time.
Coach Zinedine Zidane branded the defending of the first goal Real Madrid conceded ‘laughable’ but commended the way his team – with Alphonse Areola in goal for the second period – came back to draw 2-2.
Thibaut Courtois reacts during a horrendous first half in which he conceded twice for Real
Courtois did not appear for the second half and the club confirmed that he was ill at half-time
Courtois was taken off at half-time after feeling nauseous following a nightmare first period for Madrid in which they conceded twice against the Belgian champions.
‘Courtois had a stomach problem,’ said Madrid director Emilio Butragueno confirming why the former Chelsea keeper was taken off at the break.
‘Areola saved us when it was 2-1. He was very good,’ he added.
Courtois was made to look daft by Dennis who put Brugge ahead when he fell into the ball running on to a pass from Brighton loanee Percy Tau.
The keeper had been fooled by Dennis’ miscontrol and was already on the ground when the ball trickled past him. It was Luka Modric at fault for the second goal but Courtois still seemed to carry the can as supporters began whistling Madrid before the break.
‘It’s a bad result but the reaction was good,’ said Zidane. ‘We cannot be content with the second half. They were 45 minutes that we have never served up before. I’m upset we took a point because we needed three but I am happy how we responded.
Alphonse Areola replaced the ex-Chelsea man and helped Real Madrid fight back to a 2-2 draw
Courtois can only watch on as Dennis scores Club Brugge’s opening goal at the Bernabeu
‘The first goal is laughable. And when they score first against you they are a team that can hurt you.
‘They score again and we came back but we cannot be happy with the first half.
‘I told them at half-time that we had 45 minutes to change things and if we didn’t change we would lose. And they did change.’
Director Butragueno added: ‘We have four games left and we have to win the next one against Galatasaray at all costs.’
Asked if he believed Madrid had no margin for error now, Casemiro said: ‘Well when you are playing for Real Madrid you always have to win. This is the Champions League and there are no easy matches. They scored from their two chances in the first half. We reacted well.’
