What is Thibaut Courtois’ new knee injury?

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has suffered a significant setback on his return to injury. The Belgian stopper has not featured for Los Blancos since the start of the season and has picked up another knee injury.

The 31-year-old reportedly left Madrid’s training ground in tears on Tuesday after rupturing the meniscus in his right knee. He torn the cruciate ligament in his left knee last August and has not played since for Madrid.

Sources close to the club had said that the LaLiga game against Athletic Bilbao on March 31 was a possible return date for the Belgian. He was due to take part in a friendly match against Castilla, Madrid’s youth team, on Wednesday.

Today’s news could extend his time up the sidelines for another two months and casts fresh doubt on his status for Belgium at the European Championships this summer. It is a major blow for Courtois, who had become a key player for Carlo Ancelotti and established himself as one of the world’s best in his position.

Real Madrid look to have built an unsurmountable lead at the top of the Spanish first division but they face a major obstacle in the Champions League. They will play reigning European champions Manchester City in the quarter-finals in April and it had been hoped that Courtois could return in time for the game.

The full extent of Courtois’ latest fitness issue is not yet clear but his absence will be a major blow for Madrid as they go in search of revenge against the team who ended their Champions League dreams in 2022/23. In Andriy Lunin they have a very competent back-up goalkeeper, but Courtois’ importance to Ancelotti’s side cannot be overstated.