Thibaut Courtois has returned to individual training with Real Madrid ahead of schedule as he continues his recovery from the injury that forced him to leave the World Cup quarter-final against Spain.
The Belgium goalkeeper, 34, said he wanted to make certain he was fully fit before rejoining his team-mates in collective training. He worked alone on Friday and continued his programme on Sunday, when the rest of the Real Madrid squad were given time off following their match against Ferencvaros.
Courtois said the additional work had gone well and that he was encouraged by his condition.
“I came back a little early because, because of the injury, I wanted to make sure I was completely fine by training individually before joining the team,” he told Real Madrid’s television channel.
“Today I trained as a goalkeeper and felt very good and hugely happy to be back.”
The goalkeeper also offered strong support for new manager Jose Mourinho, praising the Portuguese coach’s uncompromising approach and his emphasis on discipline and collective responsibility.
Courtois described Mourinho as “a very demanding coach” but said those standards were important if Real Madrid were to compete successfully.
“He is a great coach, and his personality is very friendly. He says things as they are, and that is what I like about him,” Courtois added. “I think this is the path we need to follow.”
Courtois and Mourinho previously worked together successfully at Chelsea, where they won the Premier League title. The goalkeeper said he was pleased to be reunited with the manager and hoped their second spell together would prove equally productive.
“I have good memories with him, and hopefully we will work well together and have some great years here,” he said.
Courtois also backed Mourinho’s decision to give players sufficient rest during pre-season. He said a measured approach would help the squad avoid injuries at the beginning of a long and demanding campaign.
“If we start strongly, we will suffer injuries early. We will regain our fitness quickly because we have not stopped for a long time, and we will be fine,” he said.
The Belgian is targeting a return to full team training on Monday, an indication that his recovery is progressing as hoped. His early return comes as Mourinho faces the challenge of preparing a squad whose new arrivals will need to be integrated alongside players returning late from the World Cup.
Courtois said success would be important not only for the squad but also for the club and its supporters, with Real Madrid aiming to compete for silverware in the coming season.
“It is important for the team, the fans and the club that we win again. I will be ready to train tomorrow,” he said.
