Rabat – Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is reportedly trying to recover in time for tonight’s El Clasico against Barcelona, despite the Spanish club initially ruling him out due to flu-like symptoms.
Real Madrid announced on Sunday morning that the Belgian international would miss the LaLiga encounter at Camp Nou after falling ill.
“Courtois is a last-minute absence due to flu-like symptoms for tonight’s match between Real Madrid and Barcelona,” the club said in an official statement.
Madrid also confirmed that young goalkeeper Illia Voloshyn had been added to the squad as a replacement.
However, according to Spanish radio station Cadena SER, Courtois has shown signs of improvement and is determined to make himself available for the highly anticipated encounter.
The report indicates that the 34-year-old could travel separately to Barcelona if his condition continues to improve, potentially allowing him to feature despite the club’s earlier announcement.
Journalist Mario Cortegana of The Athletic also reported that Courtois remains optimistic about his chances of playing.
Lunin could replace Courtois against Barcelona
If Courtois fails to recover, Andriy Lunin is expected to start in goal for Jose Mourinho’s side.
The Ukrainian goalkeeper has yet to feature in an official match this season, having remained behind Courtois in the team’s goalkeeping hierarchy.
Courtois has been a regular starter throughout the campaign, making important contributions in Madrid’s recent matches.
He produced several crucial saves during Wednesday’s 4-1 Champions League triumph over RB Leipzig, helping his team maintain control despite periods of defensive pressure.
His potential absence would represent another setback for Mourinho, who is already without Vinicius Junior through suspension, alongside injured players Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy and Raul Asencio.
The uncertainty comes ahead of an important encounter in the LaLiga title race.
Barcelona currently lead the standings with 27 points, six ahead of third-placed Real Madrid.
