Courtois ‘categorically denies’ Conte enmity, threatens legal action against Spanish newspaper

Thibaut Courtois took to social media today to “categorically deny” the hilarious story published in Friday’s El Pais newspaper by journalist Diego Torres, which claimed that the former Chelsea goalkeeper and part-time ophiologist was devastated to hear that Antonio Conte (or Jose Mourinho) might be taking over for soon-to-be-sacked manager Julen Lopetegui at Real Madrid.

While we didn’t think there were any major issues between the goalkeeper and either of his two permanent Chelsea coaches, the story was amusing to no end after the way Courtois snaked his way out of the club this past summer, going back on his promises and forcing a move with just weeks if not days left in the window.

Of course, football media is no stranger to fake news (we just call them rumors). Journalists are supposed to vet their information and maybe even use a second source, but those steps don’t always seem to apply. And that could very well be the case here, as Courtois has strongly denied the claims brought forth by that story in El Pais, taking it as a personal affront and threatening legal action for the “professionally damaging lies” in his tweeted response.

Your move, Diego Torres.

(Less than an hour later, El Pais were still ICYMI-tweeting the story.)