Skip to content

Thibaut Courtois welcomes safety advice from fellow Chelsea keeper Petr Cech

Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez collides with Thibaut Courtois, which results with the keeper being substituted
Image: Thibaut Courtois collided with Alexis Sanchez during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Arsenal

Thibaut Courtois has revealed that fellow Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has been giving advice on how to adapt to the dangers of playing in the Premier League.

Courtois, who took over from Cech as the Blues’ first-choice keeper this season, was taken to hospital with a suspected concussion after colliding with Alexis Sanchez in the 2-0 win over Arsenal on the 5th of October.

The 22-year-old avoided serious injury and returned to the Chelsea side for the 2-1 win at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

But he has still been receiving tips from Cech, who fractured his skull in a game in 2006 and continues to wear protective headgear in games.

“Petr sent me a message after the Arsenal game and later he told me that in the Premier League maybe some strikers really go against the keepers,” said Courtois.

“He said maybe sometimes it is better to protect your head to go down quicker and with your back or your shoulder protecting your head.

“That was a tip he gave me and it’s good because, when you come into a new league sometimes things are different than in Spain so it’s good to know that.

“Is it more physical here? Yeah. In Spain there is more organisation, maybe more football, while here maybe some teams are going quicker with the long ball and rushing it to the front.

“But it depends on the team you are playing against. But I think the difference is maybe it is more physical.

"Maybe the referees don’t whistle as quickly as they do in Spain.”

Belgium international Courtois added: “I’m not thinking about not going into the feet of players now. You just have to carry on with what you are doing.”

Around Sky