Thibaut Courtois has been accused of attempting to get Xabi Alonso sacked from Real Madrid during his tenure in Spain, alongside his teammates. However, the former Chelsea goalkeeper insisted there was no intention on the part of the Madrid players to oust Alonso, and that sudden "dips" are simply part of football.
Alonso's Move to Chelsea
Xabi Alonso has confirmed his next role after being announced as Chelsea's newest manager, signing a four-year contract. The Spaniard agreed terms with the Blues one day after their disappointing FA Cup final loss to Manchester City, which left them trophyless for the season.
The ex-Liverpool star faces yet another tough challenge, having been sacked by Madrid after just over seven months in charge. Alonso took over from managerial icon Carlo Ancelotti, under whom he played both in Spain and Germany at Bayern Munich.
Despite a strong start, Madrid's form dipped and Alonso's departure was confirmed after losing the Supercopa final to rivals Barcelona. Courtois was part of the team that faltered under the Spaniard and insisted that the players did not try to make him lose his job.
Courtois Defends Professionalism
Speaking after a 3-0 win in the Champions League over City, the goalkeeper said: "Nobody tried to get Xabi fired. We worked hard."
"People were saying we didn't like the tactics, or the videos... Look, I had a coach like Antonio Conte who had us there for an hour every day, and it didn't matter, because we're professionals, work comes first."
At the time, reports suggested that Madrid stars, including Vinicius Jr and Federico Valverde, were unhappy with Alonso's coaching methods. Courtois was quick to dismiss these claims, adding: "One thing is playing with your friends, but I'm a professional. If I have to watch a half-hour video I'll do it. That's how you prepare for games. In the summer I talked to NFL players who are there all day from 9am to 6pm or 8pm watching videos, and there's no problem."
"People have doubted our professionalism. The first months with Xabi went well, and suddenly we had a dip. That happens in football."
Alonso's Ambitions at Chelsea
Now, Alonso has moved on from the disappointment in La Liga and will look to bring the good times back to Chelsea once more. The Blues sit in 10th place in the Premier League table and still have the chance to compete for European football.
Brighton sit in seventh and occupy the Europa League spot on 53 points, with Chelsea currently on 49 points. Alonso is aware of the task ahead and is keen on bringing silverware back to Stamford Bridge.
He said: "Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club. From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same ambition."
"We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies. There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club and it will be my great honour to lead it. Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies."
