Courtois delighted to shut up Chelsea critics

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois admits he has enjoyed shutting the club’s critics up this season by clinching the Premier League title.

A dismal campaign a year ago saw the Blues finish tenth – below the likes of Southampton, West Ham and Stoke – but they have bounced back spectacularly this term to win the league with games to spare.

Chelsea lifted the title in 2014-15 before their dramatic fall from grace but under new manager Antonio Conte – and his much-vaunted 3-4-3 formation – they have rediscovered their winning touch.

Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

And Courtois concedes that all the negativity about their displays a year ago has proved ample motivation to get back on track.

“We had a bad season,” said Courtois. “We had a lot of critics, everybody in the team; a lot of laughter at us.

“It’s not nice after a season when you won the league. Some of the criticism was deserved – some not – but to bounce back in this way, to be champions again and to have been top a long way, is amazing.

“They said we didn’t want to play anymore, that we are lazy, and that’s not true.

“We try to win our games and last year was just a one-off, especially for a team like Chelsea, with the players we have here.

“Everybody was hurt in their pride and that’s why we wanted to bounce back this season.”