Thibaut Courtois has admitted that he is upset about the backlash received from supporters since leaving Chelsea to join Real Madrid.
The Belgium international failed to report back to training following the World Cup and was eventually granted a £35m switch to the Bernabeu in August.
After spending seven seasons at Stamford Bridge – the first three of those on loan at Atletico Madrid – Courtois is “sad” that some Chelsea fans turned against him when pushing for a move away, citing a desire to be closer to his children in the Spanish capital.
“It makes me feel sad and obviously they don’t know all the truth,” he told Sky Sports News after Belgium’s 4-0 win against Scotland on Friday evening. “I think in March the decision was already made and I thought the club would accept it. Then because the transfer was closed I did not show up because I thought it better not to disturb the team and the squad.
“If I did go there maybe, I didn’t want to be toxic, so obviously it is a pity because I love Chelsea. I loved playing there and I am happy to have won two Premier Leagues, a League Cup and an FA Cup. Hopefully it will turn around
“I had a chance to go back to Spain to be closer to my kids. That was an important thing for me. I know that a lot of Chelsea fans will understand my decision. I wish them the best and I am happy to see that they have won their first four games and I hope they can go on and win the league.”
Courtois made his competitive bow for Real Madrid in last weekend’s 4-1 win against Leganes.