Madrid faces goalkeeper crisis for Valencia clash
Thibaut Courtois will be fit for Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash against Arsenal next week, but won't play in LaLiga this weekend, and second-choice goalkeeper Andriy Lunin may also be missing.
That was the update provided by Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti ahead of welcoming Valencia to Santiago Bernabeu this weekend.
Ancelotti said that Lunin could also be absent from the Valencia fixture, having sustained a calf muscle tear in midweek.
With both Courtois and Lunin sidelined, it is likely that 19-year-old Fran Gonzalez, who is yet to make a first-team appearance for Madrid, will be in goal against Valencia.
"We have a doubt about Lunin, who will be tested today," Ancelotti added.
"He [Gonzalez] is a great goalkeeper; his only problem is that he's young," Ancelotti said.
"If his time comes tomorrow, we'll be very happy for him, because we're all convinced he has a great future. No worries on our part," Ancelotti said.
Madrid is still in contention for a treble, trailing LaLiga leader Barcelona by three points and set to face it in the Copa del Rey final at the end of the month.
"We're doing well. Obviously, with some doubts due to the effort of extra time (against Real Sociedad). But the team is motivated," Ancelotti said.
"We have to be optimistic and believe we can do it. We're very close in every competition, and we're confident."
Courtois has battled several injuries throughout the campaign, but has missed the past two matches for Los Blancos, with Andriy Lunin deputising in between the sticks.
The Belgium international has kept eight clean sheets in LaLiga this season, a total only bettered by Real Sociedad's Alex Remiro and Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak, both with 12.
While this weekend's clash against 15th-placed Valencia comes too soon for Courtois, Ancelotti is confident his goalkeeper will be ready to face Mikel Arteta's Gunners.
"There's no concern. Courtois is much better, we believe he can make it to Tuesday [Wednesday AEDT]," Ancelotti said.
Ahead of facing Arsenal, Madrid was also boosted by the news that Kylian Mbappe and Antonio Rudiger would be available for the trip to Emirates Stadium.
They were handed one-match bans, suspended for a year, and fined after their celebrations after knocking Atletico out of the UEFA Champions League on penalties.
Madrid's players celebrated in front of the Atletico fans, making gestures towards them that were captured by video footage. Dani Ceballos and Vinicius Junior were also fined.
