Chelsea and Jose Mourinho could find themselves with extra work to do after UEFA handed Atletico Madrid the go ahead to include young and hot shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois in their Champions League semi final plans.
The Blues had reportedly included a clause in the Belgian’s contract that would force the Spanish club to pay a considerable sum if they wished to play Courtois against Chelsea in the Champions League. UEFA have however nullified any such arrangement, meaning the Diego Simeone may well name the keeper in his lineup.
UEFA's official statement on Thibaut Courtois:
"Both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations contain clear provisions which strictly forbid any club to exert, or attempt to exert, any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may (or may not) field in a match.
”It follows that any provision in a private contract between clubs which might function in such a way as to influence who a club fields in a match is null, void and unenforceable so far as UEFA is concerned.
”Furthermore, any attempt to enforce such a provision would be a clear violation of both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations and would therefore be sanctioned accordingly.”
The news may cut short the celebrations of many Blues fans who were already celebrating the Chelsea-Atleti Champions League semi final pairing, having deemed the Mattress Makers the easiest of the remaining teams to handle.
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With Thibaut Courtois in fantastic form since his Vicente Calderon switch, Chelsea’s misfiring strikers may have another coming should he be between the sticks during the highly unpredictable clash between the teams.
