Madrid: Real Madrid denied report that Thibaut Courtois was diagnosed with anxiety, saying the goalkeeper was suffering from "acute gastroenteritis". The report emerged after Courtois did not play the second half of the club's 2-2 draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League midweek.
"Our player has never been diagnosed with alleged anxiety and, therefore, that information is absolutely false," a Real Madrid statement said.
"Thibaut Courtois has been diagnosed and treated for acute gastroenteritis."
Spanish newspaper OK Diario alleged that 27-year-old Courtois went off due to anxiety, which was diagnosed after multiple tests.
According to Spanish media, Courtois had to be driven home from the Bernabeu by his father as he was too unwell to drive himself.
Zinedine Zidane insisted Friday that Thibaut Courtois was not the only one to blame for Real Madrid's midweek Champions League 2-2 draw with Club Brugge after the La Liga club denied the Belgian goalkeeper was suffering from anxiety.
Zidane told a press conference that Courtois' place in the starting line up was not guaranteed after he was substituted at half-time on Tuesday with Real two goals down at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the same went for all his players.
"He's not the only one to blame for what happened in the first 45 minutes," Zidane said of the 2-2 draw.
"Okay he's the 'keeper and he let two goals in ... but there is no right to error for any of us."
"Nobody's place in the side is certain, neither Courtois nor anyone else. We also need to play well, and we need to score goals. There are 25 players and we need to be able to count on all of them."
Courtois has only managed two cleans sheets in eight appearances this season.
The Belgium international missed training on Thursday and Friday and is likely to sit out Saturday's La Liga fixture against Granada.
(With AFP inputs)
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