# Thibaut Courtois injury and recovery at Real Madrid > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/thibaut-courtois-injury-and-recovery-at-real-madrid > Updated: 2026-08-08T15:00:08.000Z. Sources: 23. Developments: 2. Thibaut Courtois sustained a minor muscle strain in his left quadriceps during a World Cup quarter-final match against Spain. Real Madrid medical examinations determined the injury was not serious, and the club initially monitored goalkeeper options while expecting the Belgian keeper to be fit for the upcoming La Liga season. Following his injury, Courtois returned to individual training at the Valdebebas facility and has since officially returned to preseason training. During his reintegration, Courtois has expressed strong support for Real Madrid’s new manager, José Mourinho. Citing their previous history at Chelsea, Courtois praised Mourinho’s directness and emphasis on discipline and group cohesion, stating, “He says things as they are and I like that.” Mourinho reportedly considers Courtois a core pillar of the team, alongside Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham. As the club undergoes a significant roster overhaul, management is working to finalize departures to maintain a streamlined squad of approximately 20 fixed players. Recent arrivals include Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konaté, Yan Diomande, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, and Carlos Espí, while Aurélien Tchouaméni is also expected to remain a key pillar for the manager. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-08: Real Madrid's Courtois returns to training under new coach Mourinho Thibaut Courtois has returned to Real Madrid training, praising new manager José Mourinho's discipline as the team undergoes a major preseason roster overhaul. 23 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/thibaut-courtois-returns-to-training-under-jos-mourinho-at-real-madrid ### 2026-07-11: Real Madrid confirms Courtois injury is minor and surveys goalkeeper replacements Courtois suffered a minor quad strain at the World Cup; exams show no serious damage and he should be ready for the season start. Real Madrid is scouting replacements, notably Trubin, while trusting current GK 14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/real-madrid-and-vinicius-junior-negotiate-new-contract-amid-salary-and-captaincy-talks --- Cite as: Thibaut Courtois injury and recovery at Real Madrid. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/thibaut-courtois-injury-and-recovery-at-real-madrid