Thibaut Courtois has been speaking about his spell at Atletico Madrid as he returns to the Spanish capital in the Champions League.
According to Chelsea’s number one, it was his three year loan there that defined him as a player and as a man, and it’s hard to argue given the success he had at the Calderon, winning La Liga and the Spanish Cup and coming within a minute of winning the Champions League too.
“If I saw a 19-year-old in goal for Atletico now, people would say that’s crazy. But I did an amazing thing and that’s why I say it defined me a lot.”
“I remember people saying that Atletico wanted me, that they are a big team and that it will be a big challenge for me. I don’t know why, but I just felt really prepared for it, really confident.
“I went there and tried to do my best in training, as well as learn the language really quickly. That was important, I think.” – Thibaut Courtois, Evening Standard
There’s no doubt that Courtois returned from that spell ready to challenge. In fact by the end of that summer he had ousted the legendary Petr Cech as Chelsea’s first choice keeper, something few people expected at the time. Considering he was initially expected to return to Genk rather than head to Madrid, it’s fair to say that that three year spell make all the difference for him.
