Real Madrid confirmed today that Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will not participate in the Clásico against Barcelona, which will take place at 9:00 p.m. The decision was made at 4:30 p.m. on the same day, when the Madrid fans had already stopped hoping that the goalkeeper would be able to travel to the Catalan city and join the team. Courtois has been fighting a flu that has made it impossible for him to arrive on time, despite having tried until the last moment to participate in the match.
The official announcement was made through the club's website, where it was reported that Courtois was out of the squad for health reasons. In his place, the youth team's goalkeeper, Illia Voloshyn, of Ukrainian origin, was included in the squad. Voloshyn's inclusion reflects the need for a reliable alternative in goal, as the team is without its starting goalkeeper.
Real Madrid had maintained the possibility that Courtois could recover enough to travel to Barcelona, but the evolution of his flu did not favor that option. The last time the team won a Clásico at the Camp Nou was in 2023, when the result was 1-2 in favor of Real Madrid; In that match Courtois was not in the goal either, being replaced by Kepa Arrizabalaga. Tonight, the goalkeeper who will have the responsibility will be Lunin, who will be in charge of the team's defense in the absence of Courtois.
With this decision, Real Madrid is preparing for the confrontation without its usual goalkeeper, which could influence the team's defensive strategy. The club will continue to monitor Courtois' health and will communicate any changes to his availability before the start of the match. For Barcelona, the absence of Courtois represents an additional advantage in defense, while Real Madrid will have to rely on the solidity of Lunin and the organization of its defensive line to face the challenge of the Classic.