The Belgium international has expressed his sympathy for the former Blues manager, and he has also acknowledged that the club stand little chance of reaching the top four
Thibaut Courtois admits he was saddened by Chelsea's decision to sack Jose Mourinho following a poor run of form.
The Blues axed the Portuguese in December, with the club nearer to the relegation zone than the Premier League summit, following a dismal start to their title defence.
Courtois was sidelined for a large portion of Chelsea's poor run due to a meniscus tear and admits that it was difficult for him to watch his team-mates flounder from the sidelines, adding that Mourinho's sacking upset him.
“It was strange for me,” Courtois is quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph. “When you get injured for a long time it’s not nice because you are out of the team and not involved anymore. Sometimes you just go to watch training to be with the players a bit and have the feeling of being part of the group. When it’s not going well, you want to help.
“We had a wonderful season being champions, but this season has been different. I was sad when a top manager like Mourinho got sacked, but you have to move forwards.
"You cannot look to the past, you have to look forwards and we were in a bad situation so the club took a decision and, as players, we knew we had to improve.”
Chelsea currently sit in 12th in the Premier League, trailing fourth-placed Manchester City by a staggering 14 points, and Courtois admits that he and his team-mates have no chance of qualifying for Europe's elite club competition this term.
“We are doing well and we can maybe move up the table, but top four is out of the question,” Courtois added. “I think the most important is the FA Cup and the Champions League. That’s our main aim.
“It’s nice to win a trophy every season and say every year: ‘OK I won something.’ Winning a trophy would be a good way to finish a bad season in a positive way. But I’m not obsessed by the fact I have to win a trophy every year – it’s a nice thing, but I know it’s sometimes impossible.”
Chelsea face Southampton on Saturday.
- Goal