Football
Mark Rodden 8y

Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois 'has room for improvement' - Belgium coach

Belgium goalkeeping coach Erwin Lemmens believes Chelsea's below-par season has contributed to Thibaut Courtois not being in top condition for Euro 2016.

Courtois, 24, was sent off on the opening day of the season and then suffered a knee injury early in the campaign that ruled him out until December.

He returned to a Chelsea side that was desperately struggling to find form, with coach Jose Mourinho on the verge of being sacked.

The former Genk and Atletico Madrid goalkeeper is Belgium's No. 1 and Lemmens hopes he can get back to his best form before next month's European Championship in France.

"He still has a few doubts concerning his knee," Lemmens told Belgian broadcaster RTBF. "It shows.

"At Chelsea he came back into a team that wasn't doing well and that didn't help him. But that didn't prevent him from being present with the national team against Portugal last March.

"Thibaut still has room for improvement and he knows it. "

Courtois was part of the Belgium squad that reached the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup and they will go into Euro 2016 as the top ranked side in Europe in the FIFA World Ranking.

"Compared to two years ago, he's become a better goalkeeper," Lemmens added. "He has more experience and he's without doubt one of the best keepers in the world."

Belgium start their Euro 2016 campaign against Italy in Lyon on June 13 before taking on Republic of Ireland and Sweden.

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