In the Belgian’s absence, Madrid will rely on Andriy Lunin to provide cover
Thibaut Courtois could stay out for up to two months after Real Madrid confirmed the goalkeeper has suffered a thigh injury.
The 33-year-old started Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 second leg against Manchester City but was withdrawn at half-time after feeling discomfort, with Andriy Lunin coming on to replace him.
Initial optimism about the severity of the injury was quickly replaced by concern following further medical assessments on Thursday.
Real Madrid have confirmed the issue but did not put a timeline on the Belgian’s return. However, sources close to the club suggest Courtois will be out for at least six weeks, although this could potentially stretch to eight weeks depending on his speed of recovery.
The goalkeeper’s absence is a big blow for Madrid, who have heavy relied on his sensational form in front of goal this season. The Belgian is expected to miss both legs of their quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich in April, a match that could define their season.
Madrid are four points behind Barcelona in La Liga with 10 games remaining. If they are unable to close that gap the Champions League is their only hope of avoiding finishing without silverware for the second season running.
Courtois’ injury is believed to be the result of accumulated workload. The goalkeeper has featured heavily this season, making 41 appearances across all competitions and keeping 16 clean sheets. He has started all but one of Madrid’s Champions League matches this campaign.
In the Belgian’s absence, Lunin is expected to provide reasonable cover. The 27-year-old Ukrainian has already shown his reliability this season and has previously stepped up when Courtois has been sidelined.
During the 2023-24 season, Lunin made 31 appearances while Courtois recovered from a serious knee injury.
