BELGIUM are in crisis after Thibaut Courtois became the THIRD goalkeeper ruled out for Sunday’s game against England.
Roberto Martinez’s side travel to Wembley for the Nations League clash with the Real Madrid star initially set to start.
Thibaut Courtois’s absence leaves Roberto Martinez with a decision to makeCredit: AP:Associated Press
Simon Mignolet, now of Club Brugge, is expected to step in between the postsCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
But, ahead of Thursday’s friendly against Ivory Coast, it was confirmed that Courtois had left the camp.
And the hip injury will keep the 28-year-old out of action as the Group B favourites go head to head on Sunday.
Martinez had already lost Hendrik Van Crombrugge of Anderlecht and Wolfsburg’s Koen Casteels for this month’s triple-header.
Both keepers have been given permission to stay home, each awaiting the birth of a child.
That has drawn Simon Mignolet into action for Thursday’s clash with Ivory Coast in Brussels.
The ex-Liverpool and Sunderland keeper, 32, is joined by uncapped pair Davy Roef and Jens Teunckens in the squad.
Martinez had initially planned on rotating his three shot-stoppers throughout the upcoming games.
Courtois was being held back for the England tie along with senior stars Toby Alderweireld, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Axel Witsel.
Now that we’ve been able to extend the numbers in the squad and that opens a very good window for us to have a lot of debutants
Roberto Martinez
With Iceland also on the horizon for the Red Devils, coach Martinez had named a 33-man squad including AC Milan youngster Alexis Saelemaekers and Brighton’s Leandro Trossard.
He said: “Now that we’ve been able to extend the numbers in the squad and that opens a very good window for us to have a lot of debutants, a lot of emerging and young talent in the team.
“They’ve earned the opportunity to be in the national team and now we will see what they can do and if they can add competition into the group.”
Thibaut Courtois plays with lion cub at zoo as Real Madrid star enjoys summer break
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
