Courtois To Play Against Chelsea If An Agreement Is Reached

As reports emerge in Spain that Courtois will not file out against Chelsea during the Champions League semi-final; there have also been rumours of Atletico’s plan to extend his loan deal for another season.

The Blues are expected to play against the current La Liga leaders in the semi-final of this season’s Champions League. As reported in the Mirror, Chelsea on loan keeper, Courtois will not be featuring in both legs probably due to agreement both clubs reached during the signing of the loan deal. The Mirror is citing a publication by Spanish paper, Marca.

Courtois has been outstanding for Diego Simeone’s Atletico this season and even season before; winning the Copa de Rey Cup with the club in the process. The Belgian keeper who has enjoyed a steady rise in his development is tipped as the hair to current Chelsea goalkeeper, Petr Cech.

Chelsea on the other hand do not see any reason why the young Belgian should not be able to feature for Atletico. In a statement made by chief executive, Ron Gourlay, he said:

“As far as the player is concerned, Thibaut, he can play against Chelsea, in both ties, if he is selected…That is fact.”

Gourlay made the statement following various claims in the press that the Belgian is ineligible to play against his parent club because of a clause inserted into his contract. Europe’s football governing boy, EUFA also came out to declare any attempt to deny the keeper an opportunity to play against his parent club as null.

”Both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations contain clear provisions which strictly forbid any club to exert, or attempt to exert, any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may (or may not) field in a match.

”It follows that any provision in a private contract between clubs which might function in such a way as to influence who a club fields in a match is null, void and unenforceable so far as UEFA is concerned…, EUFA said.

It is not clear where the Spanish tabloid got its story from; but EUFA is clear on what the rule says. I want to stand by the club’s public statement that Courtois is eligible to play against us. I hope our strikers find their scoring boots as we will need to be at our best to get past the Belgian international.