Real Madrid announced on the 25th that Belgian national team goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who is said to be their guardian angel in preparation for the Clasico stage, will be absent due to cold symptoms. Courtois played in all 12 games in all competitions that season and was an indispensable part for Real, who are entering their ninth season. As a replacement, Ukrainian goalkeeper Ilya Voloshin of the C team was included in the squad.
On the same day, Real suffered an even bigger blow. Vinicius Junior will miss the Clasico due to suspension, while Ferland Mendy and Raul Asensio will also be absent. This left Real with huge holes in both their goalkeeping and attacking positions. The club explained, ``Courtois' absence was due to cold symptoms and was a last-minute decision,'' expressing concern about the team's lack of strength.
On the other hand, although no major absences have been reported on the Barcelona side, Real's absence is likely to have a significant impact on the development of the game. The Clasico is always a stage where both teams' tactics and player compositions draw attention, and Real's current vacancies will force them to reorganize their tactics. Real will have to question the depth of their goalkeeping staff and will also be forced to reshuffle their attacking team.
The match is scheduled to take place on the 25th at 8pm (Spanish time), with fans of both teams keeping an eye on how they will fill Real's vacancy. Real needs to use their track record and experience from past Clasicos to devise strategies to fill in the vacancies. Barcelona is also believed to be planning to take advantage of Real's absence to launch an attack.
Clasico is an important match that will determine the future soccer season. How Real will fill their vacancies and what measures Barcelona will take will have a big impact on how the game will go. Fans of both teams will be watching the match with an eye on how they will overcome the disadvantageous situation of missing players.