Forget 'Set Piece FC', Arsenal have won the title without '115 charges' lurking in the margins like Man City, without buying their own women's team like Chelsea, without petro-dollars behind them. That should be celebrated, writes IAN HERBERT trib.al/MLr0KWf
Well at least we can relax on Sunday and just enjoy the occasion, without the stress of watching the Arsenal score on our phones. And Bournemouth might even grab 5th ahead of Liverpool.
Don’t get me wrong, the contact was minimal…
But given he wins the ball first, and there is CLEAR contact on his toe…
How is that not a penalty?!
I can’t believe that’s been OVERTURNED once given.
I'm feeling fruity so I will do a giveaway.
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I will draw the winner on Friday.
Get liking and retweeting
And that includes you @liamgallagher
@baztheatlantean@slbsn They are much more positive about most of the other ones usually. Still rankles that they once said well I suppose we should give city some credit for the win several years back. It has never really changed
@slbsn They've took their chances that's all, do we really need to be listening to their Madrid jizz talk all night you'd think they'd be a bit more positive about an English side ffs
@WolfOfTrenchess@TouchlineX Both playing a late game on Saturday as well. He has a valid point but the TV money over rules everything. Same for fans. No consideration for us TV wise either
This is the kind of raw, honest take from a top keeper that needs to be heard loud and clear.
Quick context on why he’s 100% right to call it out:
- Real Madrid just played a brutal high-intensity UCL night (or La Liga grinder, depending on the fixture)
- Turnaround of only **2 days** (Monday recovery → Tuesday game) instead of the standard 3 (to Wednesday)
- That compressed rest window is brutal on the body: incomplete muscle repair, CNS fatigue, higher cortisol, lower reaction times
- Courtois knows from personal experience — his ACL nightmare in 2023 started after a congested schedule, and he’s seen teammates break down in similar windows
- La Liga + UCL + Copa + Supercopa calendar is already a meat grinder; shaving one extra recovery day is asking for trouble
Players rarely speak up this directly because it can get spun as “complaining” or “excuse-making,” but Courtois is saying what every physio, doctor, and data analyst in top clubs is screaming behind closed doors: **player welfare is being sacrificed for TV slots and revenue.**
Key stats that back him up (general trend, not specific to this week):
- Injury risk jumps ~20–30% with less than 72 hours recovery (UEFA studies)
- Hamstring, calf, and ACL-type injuries spike in midweek fixtures after short turnarounds
- Madrid already missing key players this season — why tempt fate?
Respect to Thibaut for using his platform. He’s not whining; he’s protecting his teammates, the club’s long-term success, and honestly, the beauty of the game when players are fresh enough to perform at their peak.
Get well soon to anyone dealing with injuries, and hope the schedulers start listening. 🙏🤍
🚨🗣️ 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Courtois: "I want to say something. I don't find it normal that we have to play the next game on Tuesday again instead of Wednesday. Trust me, this can create injuries...."