BARCELONA-. The technician of the Real Madrid Carlo Ancelotti Maybe he won’t have such a difficult task deciding who will be his goalkeeper in the Champions League final.
Almost all of the analysis leading up to the final has focused on whether Ancelotti will choose Andriy Lunin — who played almost the entire season and led the team to the final — or Thibaut Courtois, the veteran who has just returned from his long-term knee injury.
But Lunin reportedly has a cold and in a message on social media on Thursday he indicated that he will not “be able to get ready” for the final against Borussia Dortmund.
“I am very sad that I cannot prepare the most important game of the season and the most important in my life together with the team,” he wrote on Instagram. “Thank you very much for all your messages, support and encouragement!!!”
Ancelotti said on Monday that Lunin had a fever and was unable to train with his teammates. Lunin stayed in Madrid while the team traveled to London on Friday. The club said he would join his teammates on Saturday, hours before the game at Wembley Stadium.
Neither the player nor the club have publicly ruled out the possibility of playing, but his illness could be the opportunity for Courtois to finish the season on a high note after being out for almost the entire campaign.
Courtois suffered a torn ligament in his left knee in August, two days before the start of the season. In March, the 32-year-old Belgian damaged the meniscus in his right knee when he was about to return. He returned this month as a starter in the 3-0 win over Cadiz as Madrid confirmed its 36th league title.
Courtois has experience in finals. He won the 2022 Champions League with Madrid, the FA Cup with Chelsea and the Europa League with Atlético Madrid. In addition to adding two Copa del Rey titles (one with Madrid and another with Atlético, among other titles.
But Lunin returned to the starting lineup in the victory against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinals.
Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel acknowledged this week that beating any of them will be difficult for the German team.
“Courtois has proven to be one of the best in the world. I think now, even after his injury, he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. And Lunin also had a very good season,” said Kobel.
Madrid seeks to increase its record of 14 European Cups.
Source: AP