Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois tells Simon Mignolet to show respect

Thibaut Courtois

Thibaut Courtois has continued his war of words with Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet, accusing the goalkeeper of showing no respect to either himself or current Belgium manager, Marc Wilmots.

Courtois, currently on loan at Atletico Madrid from Chelsea, has been installed as Belgium’s number one under Wilmots and led the country to a first World Cup qualification since 2002.

Simon Mignolet suggested last month he was aiming to claim the number one shirt for himself in the near future, a comment that irked Courtois into telling the Liverpool man to ‘stay humble and respectful’.

And he returned to continue his verbal assault on Mignolet, telling reporters: “If someone says that he is unfairly left out of the Red Devils’ goal, I see that as an attack.

“It shows you do not respect the coach’s current choice and at the same time you show that you have no respect for the current number one.

“But I don’t want my comments to be taken wrongly, as they were last time.

“Then it sounded like Mignolet must show no ambition. That’s not true.

“I understand he has the ambition of being the number one for Belgium. I only say you should respect those who play.”

Thibaut Courtois has made 2.77 saves per goal he has conceded this season. Simon Mignolet has made 1.78 saves per concession for Liverpool on the other hand.

The Atletico Madrid man just edges out his Liverpool understudy.