Thibaut Courtois has denied accusations that he and his Real Madrid teammates conspired to get Xabi Alonso sacked during his brief tenure as manager. The former Chelsea goalkeeper insisted the players had no intention of forcing Alonso out, attributing the team's dip in form to the natural fluctuations of football.
Alonso, who has since been appointed as Chelsea's new manager on a four-year contract, was dismissed by Real Madrid after just over seven months in charge. Despite a strong start, Madrid's form declined, culminating in a Supercopa final loss to Barcelona, which led to his departure.
Speaking after a 3-0 Champions League win over Manchester City, Courtois said: 'Nobody tried to get Xabi fired. We worked hard. People were saying we didn't like the tactics, or the videos... We're professionals, work comes first.' He added that reports of player discontent, including from Vinicius Jr and Federico Valverde, were unfounded.
Courtois emphasised his professionalism, comparing the situation to his time under Antonio Conte at Chelsea, where lengthy video sessions were routine. 'If I have to watch a half-hour video I'll do it,' he said. 'The first months with Xabi went well, and suddenly we had a dip. That happens in football.'
Alonso now faces the challenge of reviving Chelsea, who sit 10th in the Premier League. He expressed pride in his new role, stating: 'Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football... We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies.'
