Chelsea goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, has warned ex-Manchester United manager, Louis Van Gaal not to talk about goalkeepers, following criticism of his display against Barcelona in the Champions League.
Van Gaal was among those who blamed Courtois for allowing Barcelona’s Lionel Messi to have put the ball through his legs on two occasions at Camp Nou as the Catalan club defeated Chelsea 3-0 to qualify for the last eight of the Champions League.
“The game was turned upside down due to the blunder of Courtois [for Messi’s first goal] which I think is a big blunder,” Van Gaal told Ziggo Sports.
“If he’d have had [Dutch former Manchester United goalkeeping coach] Frans Hoek as goalkeeper coach, he would have closed his legs.
“That just should not be allowed to happen,” he said.
However, Courtois has ‘attacked’ Van Gaal, saying he has no goalkeeping experience.
The Belgium international told Sporza while away on international duty: “When I hear so-called experts talking, I think they know nothing about goalkeeping — for example, Van Gaal should not talk about goalkeepers.”
He added: “I have often played against Messi and it was not the first time he scored with a shot between my legs.
“For a goalkeeper of my height it is probably my weakest point. That is very annoying, but I have to face it. I have to acknowledge my mistake as a man.”
Belgium will play against Saudi Arabia in an international friendly on Tuesday.
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