Real Madrid Suffer Courtois Blow Hours Before Barcelona Clash

Real Madrid will be without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for tonight’s Clasico at Barcelona after he was ruled out with the flu, and Andriy Lunin will take his place.

Madrid confirmed the late withdrawal just hours before kick-off. “Courtois is a last-minute withdrawal from tonight’s LaLiga matchday 10 game between Real Madrid and Barcelona due to a bout of the flu,” the club said in a statement. “Illia Voloshyn has been called up to the squad in his place.”

The news is a blow for the visitors. Courtois, 34, had been in fine form since the recent international break and played a big part in Madrid’s 4-1 Champions League win over RB Leipzig in midweek.

Lunin, 27, now steps in at Camp Nou. He has been a dependable deputy in recent seasons and stepped up during Madrid’s run to the Champions League final in 2024. He will need a calm performance against a Barcelona side that has won every league game so far this season.

Madrid go into the game under pressure. They trail leaders Barcelona by six points, and they have already lost twice in La Liga, to Real Betis and Atletico Madrid. That makes this one a must-win if they want to stay in the title race.

Things are made harder by another big absence. Forward Vinicius Junior is still out as he serves a four-game domestic ban.