The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is attempting to mediate the ongoing dispute between Thibault Courtois and the Red Devils' head coach Domenico Tedesco, who are currently clashing over the captaincy.
Courtois had left the national team camp on Monday before Belgium’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Estonia. He claimed that he left in order to nurse an injury but reports indicated that he was in fact protesting a decision made by Tedesco.
As captain Kevin De Bruyne was injured, Tedesco had to appoint someone in his place for Belgium’s match against Austria. He decided to name Belgium’s record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku as captain for the round of fixtures, a decision that drew the ire of Courtois.
Having felt disrespected, the shot-stopper decided to leave the camp, with Tedesco publicly stating his "surprise and shock" at a press conference on Monday.
The situation worsened as Courtois took to social media to criticise Tedesco for making their going public with their private conversation.
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The Belgian Football Association is now said to be doing all that it can to mediate the situation, with certain board members prepared to fly out to the Spanish capital of Madrid, where Courtois currently lives and plays.
There, they will attempt to convince the goalkeeper to come back into the fold but are also said to be expecting him to apologise for this week’s actions.
