Euro 2024 qualifiers: Courtois not travelling with Red Devils to Estonia

Thibaut Courtois will not play in the Red Devils' Euro 2024 qualifier in Estonia. The Real Madrid goalkeeper did not train with the squad on Monday and will not travel to Estonia in the afternoon, the Belgian Football Association confirmed. No reason was given for his absence.

Belgium will therefore be without their first-choice goalkeeper when they take on Estonia in Tallinn on Tuesday at 20.45 CET. Matz Sels, Thomas Kaminski and Arnaud Bodart are coach Domenico Tedesco's three options to replace Courtois.

Tedesco will hold a press conference in the Estonian capital at 18.30 CET alongside defender Jan Vertonghen. He is expected to explain Courtois' absence, which several media report is due to the goalkeeper's dissatisfaction about the team's captaincy.

With Kevin De Bruyne out injured, striker Romelu Lukaku captained the team in their 1-1 draw against Austria on Saturday, as Courtois celebrated his 100th international cap. Tedesco said Courtois would wear the armband in Tuesday's match against Estonia.

Belgium currently sit second in Group F on 4 points, behind Austria who have played a game more. They are followed by Sweden (3 points), Estonia and Azerbaijan (1 point each). The top two teams will qualify for Euro 2024, hosted by Germany.

^{© REUTERS/YVES HERMAN}