Thibaut Courtois sent a sarcastic message to Rodri after the Spanish midfielder preferred a move to Barcelona over Real Madrid, considering that the player himself is the loser of this decision.
The Belgian goalkeeper’s statements came following Real Madrid’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Espanyol, after substitute Carlos Espe scored the winning goal in the final minute of José Mourinho’s first La Liga match.
Regarding Rodri’s transfer, Courtois said: “Every player chooses where he wants to be, and if he didn’t want to be with us, that’s a shame… for him. In the end, he is a great player, but he made his decision and that’s the end of it.”
Rodri had stayed at the same hotel hosting Real Madrid’s delegation in Catalonia ahead of the Espanyol clash. When asked about the coincidence, Courtois responded sarcastically: “Is he staying at our hotel? Well, the hotel is big and there will be a lot of people in it.”
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner joined Barcelona from Manchester City despite receiving a major offer from Real Madrid, emphasizing during his presentation that the Catalan club was always his first choice.
Mourinho had previously taken a position similar to Courtois’s, as the Real Madrid manager revealed he spoke with Rodri twice, but the player’s hesitation prompted him to pull out of the deal, adding that the Royal Club does not suit a player who needs to think twice before agreeing to join.
