Thibaut Courtois

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

Courtois, Casillas, Neuer, Yashin, Zoff, Zubi, Kahn, bring 'em all, we don't care whoever they may be 'CAUSE WE ARE THE FAMOUS CFC!

But this is fucked up IMO, I mean you don't give a shit if Bangoura plays for Elfsborg, but all of a sudden you care about Courtois. Something is wrong, but I just wish this has something to do with Diego Costa too. I won't mind Courtois playing if Gourlay manages to work on a discount for Costa. After all is pure business and Chelsea has done some pretty good deals in the last year TBH.

[Cosmin 2,484]

He can play, who cares? It's not like he's for Atletico what Cristiano Ronaldo is for Real Madrid.

[Yipo Ran 73]

He said he CAN play didn't he? As in if Atletico pay the fee then we can't stop them.

Would prefer if he didn't play but if he does then we'll just adjust.

read this http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=2088774.html

they don have to pay any fees , they can just play him

[drog.ba 239]

The ever reliable Balague saying Atletico might not play him and take the fine as they want Courtois again next season.

https://twitter.com/GuillemBalague

I sort of hope he plays as I want him to stay here/sign a new contract and him not playing may sour things, although I assume he was aware of the agreement all season

[drog.ba 239]

read this http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=2088774.html

they don have to pay any fees , they can just play him

Why have they only just spoke up? Surely these things should be sorted at the start of the season?

Seems like they are just trying to screw us again

[GZ25 45]

http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/4/11/5604036/uefas-statement-on-courtois-changes-course-from-previous-stance

I'm really confused :confused:

[AndersonBLUE 819]

The thing is we don't know what goes on behind closed doors. I don't understand how he can play if he is not allowed to in his contract. I don't understand how UEFA can override club to club contracts.

I don't understand

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,761]

If that part of the contract is voided and they field him then We should recall him immediately. Contracts obviously mean fuck all to UEFA.

[iceboy 992]

GUILLEM BALAGUE: I’ve spoken to Atletico Madrid and they have said that because they want to keep Courtois next season - and they feel that he will renew his contract at Chelsea and they have a chance of keeping him on loan next season - they may not play him, even though UEFA say they are allowed to.'

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11946/9260056/jose-mourinho-will-be-happy-to-have-avoided-semi-finals-with-real-madrid-or-bayern-munich-says-alan-smith

[LemmeBorrowThat 124]

I hope he definitely plays against us. I want to see how well he does against his main team, and I'll be damned if we sit here and take the easy way out due to contract stipulations. Quite honestly why would UEFA want to cripple a team in the biggest competition in Europe? Does nothing for them.

Can't wait to see Courtois in action against us.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

The thing is we don't know what goes on behind closed doors. I don't understand how he can play if he is not allowed to in his contract. I don't understand how UEFA can override club to club contracts.

I don't understand

Because you can arrange everything in a contract, things that are close to game fixing. It's normal that there should be some general rules.

[AndersonBLUE 819]

Because you can arrange everything in a contract, things that are close to game fixing. It's normal that there should be some general rules.

I see, but match fixing? Chelsea foresaw this at the beginning? I doubt it

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

I see, but match fixing? Chelsea foresaw this at the beginning? I doubt it

I'm not saying this is match fixing. I'm saying UEFA should be able to overrule certain deals to make sure match fixing isn't possible. This deal is just unfortunate...

[The only place to be 11,313]

read this http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=2088774.html

they don have to pay any fees , they can just play him

And we've said

"Regarding the Uefa statement, we'll evaluate it over the next 24 to 48 hours. As far as we're concerned we complied with loan rules. He can play against Chelsea - if selected."

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

I'm trying to give my two cents here as a guy who loves football:

Look, when Courtois was bought three years ago, he was nothing but a promising young keeper that was seen as a backup for Cech and a possible replacement in the far future. The fact he grew to be one of the world's best so fast, is his own achievement. Chelsea had nothing to do with it. Chelsea had the money to bet a little on this guy and it bet well.

Loaning him out proved to be an enormous success, gaining the club (at the very least) a good deal of money and a superb keeper in the years to come. He might join Chelsea next year or the year after that, but in the player's head, right now, he's an Atletico player. This is the squad he trained with, won prizes with and grew with during the past three years. Making him sit this one out will make him grow further away from the club and looking at his character, that wouldn't do anyone much good. It might be business to you, but to a (young) player, there's a lot of emotion involved as well. I don't think he's been at the Bridge much more than I have (which is never. ).

Personally, I think there should be a maximum number of players allowed in every senior squad in Europe. If you want to buy more players, you should sell some first. This will stop a lot of what's happening right now, and will make for a more honest game.

It's not normal for a club to pluck every decent player away from the smaller leagues and to have a senior squad of 60+ contracted players. This is not a dig at Chelsea btw, you're just rolling with it and doing it very well, this is criticism of football in general. 15-20 years ago, there was much more variety in cup winners, now maybe 6 clubs can still win the CL. Bayern, Real, Barca, Chelsea, Man Utd (in a good year) and City (if they learn how to play properly in Europe). Freak years like Dortmund had last year or Atletico is having currently are very rare exceptions. As a neutral supporter, I don't really like this.

How many leagues still matter? The Spanish one and the Premier League. Germany is coming, yes, and in France you have two rich oil-teams and a lot of crappy ones. The Serie A is crumbling to the ground and can only get scraps now. The Dutch league (Champions League winners until the mid nineties) might as well stop trying by now. Portugal has Porto and Benfica (both multiple cup winners), but as soon as they face real serious competition, it's finished for them too. Football is being monopolised. It wasn't like this in the previous century, and it sure as hell isn't very interesting to me anymore.

[Reddish-Blue 2,230]

I'm trying to give my two cents here as a guy who loves football:

Look, when Courtois was bought three years ago, he was nothing but a promising young keeper that was seen as a backup for Cech and a possible replacement in the far future. The fact he grew to be one of the world's best so fast, is his own achievement. Chelsea had nothing to do with it. Chelsea had the money to bet a little on this guy and it bet well.

Loaning him out proved to be an enormous success, gaining the club (at the very least) a good deal of money and a superb keeper in the years to come. He might join Chelsea next year or the year after that, but in the player's head, right now, he's an Atletico player. This is the squad he trained with, won prizes with and grew with during the past three years. Making him sit this one out will make him grow further away from the club and looking at his character, that wouldn't do anyone much good. It might be business to you, but to a (young) player, there's a lot of emotion involved as well. I don't think he's been at the Bridge much more than I have (which is never. ).

Personally, I think there should be a maximum number of players allowed in every senior squad in Europe. If you want to buy more players, you should sell some first. This will stop a lot of what's happening right now, and will make for a more honest game.

It's not normal for a club to pluck every decent player away from the smaller leagues and to have a senior squad of 60+ contracted players. This is not a dig at Chelsea btw, you're just rolling with it and doing it very well, this is criticism of football in general. 15-20 years ago, there was much more variety in cup winners, now maybe 6 clubs can still win the CL. Bayern, Real, Barca, Chelsea, Man Utd (in a good year) and City (if they learn how to play properly in Europe). Freak years like Dortmund had last year or Atletico is having currently are very rare exceptions. As a neutral supporter, I don't really like this.

How many leagues still matter? The Spanish one and the Premier League. Germany is coming, yes, and in France you have two rich oil-teams and a lot of crappy ones. The Serie A is crumbling to the ground and can only get scraps now. The Dutch league (Champions League winners until the mid nineties) might as well stop trying by now. Portugal has Porto and Benfica (both multiple cup winners), but as soon as they face real serious competition, it's finished for them too. Football is being monopolised. It wasn't like this in the previous century, and it sure as hell isn't very interesting to me anymore.

Well said

[The only place to be 11,313]

If the clause was in the contract and Atletico (and Courtois/his advisors) were happy to sign it then we should do everything in our power to enforce it.

It's no more unsporting than if we were to win the league at the end of the season from Liverpool by one point when they dropped two points against Everton in a game in which Lukaku scored twice.

[Strike 6,977]

He said he CAN play didn't he? As in if Atletico pay the fee then we can't stop them.

Would prefer if he didn't play but if he does then we'll just adjust.

sorry. yes, he said can play if selected.