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Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has announced on Twitter and Instagram — in four languages! — that he and his father Thierry Courtois will sue former Belgium boss Marc Wilmots for libel and defamation.
It all started when Wilmots in an interview with Qatar-based beIn Sports, said he was told Courtois’ father had leaked team selections during the 2016 European Championship.
Wilmots said: “I just have a problem when I make my lineup at 18h and at 18h15 it is on all networks. It means that a player has sold the selection. And that’s serious.
It came back to me from several French journalists that Papa Courtois was doing it. It means that you do not respect your homeland. All I saw is that at 18:15 it got out. It was just them (the players), the staff, (yet) it got out.”
Courtois has revealed he and his father have initiated “proceedings for libel and defamation” against the ex-Belgium boss.
Courtois said on Instagram: “Mr Wilmots – not for the first time – reiterates publicly and intentionally (makes) accusations against my honour and my reputation.”
He added: “As well as my father, we decided together to file a complaint accompanied by criminal indemnification proceedings for libel and defamation.”
Wilmots was dismissed as Belgium boss after their Euro 2016 exit to Wales.