The fate of the Madrid derby in La Liga and the Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern is in the hands of a Ukrainian
The main goalkeeper of Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois, has suffered a serious injury that will keep him out of action for an extended period. Now, the fate of the championship in La Liga and the team’s performance in the Champions League rests on the shoulders of Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Spanish publication AS.
Also read: “It’s not easy”: Real’s coach publicly addressed Lunin after the battle with City
What happened to Courtois
The Belgian goalkeeper was injured during the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 match against Manchester City.
Initially, there was only suspicion of a strain, but further examination revealed a tear in the muscle of the right leg of the 33-year-old Belgian. Preliminary forecasts suggest that it will take the goalkeeper about six weeks to recover. Therefore, Courtois is not expected to return to the main group until early May.
A test for Lunin
During this period, the role of the main goalkeeper for the “blancos” will shift to Lunin. The Ukrainian has already shown his readiness for serious challenges, successfully stepping in against City—he made three saves in one half and kept the net clean.
Lunin is facing the hottest stretch of the season—March and April. In particular:
- The Madrid derby against Atletico in La Liga.
- Both matches of the Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich.
- Crucial matches in the Spanish championship, including a possible participation in El Clasico against Barcelona.
Ukrainian in the 2025/26 season
This season, the Ukrainian goalkeeper has only been the main choice in three matches: in two Copa del Rey matches against Talavera and Albacete, as well as against Greek Olympiacos in the Champions League.
In these matches, Lunin conceded eight goals. In comparison, Courtois has played 41 matches this season—the most in the team.
Previously, we reported that a player from the English league will not help the Ukrainian national team in the World Cup 2026 playoffs.
