Thibaut Courtois tells of shame at Petr Cech's bench situation

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has said that it is a shame that fellow stopper Petr Cech had to spend much of last season on the bench.

Jose Mourinho decided to put his faith in the young keeper over the experienced Czech international, and he duly proved his worth by keeping 12 clean sheets in 32 Premier League appearances.

"We work great together," Courtois told L'Equipe. "It's tough when you have a goalkeeper at such a high level. It pushes you to never slacken off. I'm strong in my head and both of us are decisive.

"If he wants to go, that would be his choice. It's a shame that such a skilled goalkeeper must stay on the bench. When I look at his level, I'm happy for the season I've accomplished."

Courtois has collected 29 caps for Belgium since making his international debut in 2011.