MU Shorts
The challenges that await Lunin as he prepares to fill in for Courtois at Real Madrid
Real Madrid have been dealt a serious blow at a crucial stage of the season, with Thibaut Courtois set to spend more than a month on the sidelines.
At a time when consistency and stability matter the most, losing a player of his stature is not just a setback, it is a genuine concern.
Over the years, Madrid have managed to go through many injury crises, especially in defence. There have always been multiple options to rotate, adjust, and compensate for missing players at the back.
However, this situation feels very different, as replacing a goalkeeper of Courtois’ calibre is about maintaining confidence across the entire team.
Courtois is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in world football, and his absence naturally raises anxiety levels inside the club.
Lunin takes the spotlight
As such, the responsibility now shifts to Andriy Lunin, a player who has often operated in the shadows but must now step into the spotlight at the most demanding moment of the campaign.
The timing could not be more brutal, as Real Madrid are heading into a defining stretch of fixtures, including a high-intensity Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid in La Liga, followed by a Champions League double-header against Bayern Munich.
These are the kind of matches that will certainly paint a clearer picture of their league and European journey, and for Lunin, this is a test of character.
There is, however, a small sense of reassurance for Madrid fans, as Lunin is not entirely new to these situations.
He has already seen minutes this season across different competitions and has shown glimpses of reliability when called upon.
Notably, the Ukrainian goalkeeper has featured in the Copa del Rey against Talavera.
In Europe, he has also been trusted in difficult environments, including a chaotic encounter against Olympiacos and a second-half appearance against Manchester City.
In total, he has accumulated 315 minutes this season, registering three wins and one defeat, although Madrid were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Albacete.
Not an inexperienced player
Looking at the bigger picture, Lunin is not as inexperienced as some might assume, as he has already played 66 matches for Real Madrid across all competitions.
During that time, he has conceded 78 goals, averaging 1.18 per game, while keeping 23 clean sheets.
Still, numbers alone do not tell the full story since the real challenge lies in moments when it matters the most.
In that regard, the upcoming clash against Atletico Madrid will mark Lunin’s league debut this season, and it comes in one of the most emotionally charged fixtures in Spanish football.
Derby matches are rarely forgiving, and for a goalkeeper, even the smallest mistake can be decisive.
Tough record vs Atletico Madrid
Historically, Lunin’s record in the Madrid derby does little to ease concerns. He has faced Atletico three times before, with results reading two defeats and one draw.
This time, the expectations are even higher, and his objective will be to deliver a clean sheet and provide defensive assurance.
That, however, is easier said than done since Real Madrid have not managed to keep Atletico from scoring in a derby since December 2021, when they secured a 2-0 win.
Since then, Atletico Madrid have found the net in 14 consecutive derby clashes.
For Real Madrid, at this point in the season, statistics like these matter a lot. The stage is set, the pressure is immense, and there is no room for hesitation.
MU Shorts
Real Madrid injury curse examined: Several seasons of setbacks and a possible turning point
Real Madrid have endured a frustrating cycle of injuries over recent seasons, with repeated setbacks disrupting team selection, forcing tactical changes and leaving key players unavailable for important matches.
However, Jose Mourinho appears to have made an encouraging start in one area that has troubled the club for years, with the squad enjoying a notably healthier opening to the current campaign.
As La Liga resumes following an unusually long international break, Real Madrid have the majority of their players available.
For now, Eder Militao, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy remain sidelined with injuries carried over from the previous season, while Raul Asencio recently underwent surgery for a problem he had been dealing with since January.
The remaining 22 players are available.
Although Thiago Pitarch and Aurelien Tchouameni missed early matches because of minor injuries sustained during pre-season, and Federico Valverde suffered an injury against Atletico Madrid, none of those situations has resulted in a missed match due to an injury sustained since the official start of the current season.
This is a notable contrast with Real Madrid’s recent history.
Looking at the opening fixtures of previous campaigns, using the league match before the October international break as a reference point, reveals the scale of the problem Mourinho is hoping to avoid.
2025/26 season: Injuries disrupt early progress
Real Madrid began the 2025/26 campaign without Ferland Mendy, Endrick and Jude Bellingham.
The English midfielder underwent shoulder surgery after the Club World Cup, addressing discomfort that had persisted since he dislocated his shoulder almost two years earlier.
Eduardo Camavinga then suffered a sprain that kept him out for a month, while Antonio Rudiger, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal also experienced muscle injuries.
Across the first ten official matches, excluding the three players already unavailable at the start, Real Madrid recorded a whopping 18 absences.
The problems continued after the international break, as Dean Huijsen and Dani Ceballos suffered minor muscular issues that forced them to miss two matches apiece.
In the final game before the break, against Villarreal, Xabi Alonso was unable to call upon Carvajal, Trent and Rudiger because of injuries sustained during the season.
Mendy was also unavailable with a problem carried over from the previous campaign.
2024/25 season: Real Madrid record several absentees
According to AS, the 2024/25 campaign began when Camavinga suffered an injury during the final training session before the UEFA Super Cup, ruling him out of the match.
Bellingham, Jesus Vallejo, Ceballos, Tchouameni, Brahim Diaz, Carvajal, Kylian Mbappe and Thibaut Courtois subsequently spent time on the sidelines.
Mendy, Militao and Rodrygo also experienced physical problems, although they did not miss any matches during that initial period.
The final fixture before the October international break brought another major blow.
Carlo Ancelotti had to manage without Courtois, David Alaba and Brahim, while Carvajal suffered a serious right-knee injury following an unfortunate challenge, which ruled him out for an extended period.
The incident became one of the most damaging injuries of Madrid’s campaign, further weakening the defensive options available to Ancelotti.
2023/24 season: Courtois and Militao suffer serious injuries
Real Madrid’s injury problems were particularly severe during the opening weeks of the 2023/24 season.
Dani Ceballos picked up a pre-season injury, while the then-new signing Arda Guler and Mendy returned early from the club’s tour of the United States. Both were subsequently sidelined for almost two months.
The situation deteriorated just before the league campaign began, as Courtois tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee two days before Real Madrid’s opening match, and Militao suffered the same injury shortly afterwards.
Vinicius Jr. then missed four matches with a right hamstring injury, while Carvajal was unavailable for two games because of discomfort in his right leg.
Guler suffered repeated setbacks, and Alaba also experienced a problem with his right abductor muscle.
Courtois, Militao, Alaba and Guler were all unavailable for the final match before the international break. Alaba returned afterwards, but Ceballos joined the injury list.
2022/23 season: Muscle problems and minor injuries add up
The 2022/23 campaign was less disruptive, but Real Madrid still recorded 21 injuries across their first nine official fixtures.
Carvajal’s pre-season preparation was interrupted by a minor ankle sprain, while Alvaro Odriozola missed the UEFA Super Cup because of calf discomfort.
Rodrygo also sat out the first two La Liga matches after suffering a strain in his right thigh.
Several other players experienced smaller setbacks. Carvajal, Militao, Vallejo, Nacho Fernandez, Toni Kroos, Lucas Vazquez and Karim Benzema all dealt with minor injuries or physical discomfort during the opening weeks.
The World Cup in Qatar also created an unusual break in the calendar.
When Madrid returned to action after the international interval, Courtois, Luka Modric and Lucas Vazquez were unavailable through injury for the match against Osasuna.
2021/22 season: Real Madrid suffer 60 injuries
The 2021/22 campaign provides the starkest example of Madrid’s previous injury difficulties.
Coronavirus affected the pre-season preparations of Benzema, Alaba and Odriozola, although none of them missed a match as a result.
More serious problems followed, as Kroos suffered a groin strain that kept him out for two months, while Ceballos sustained ligament damage that sidelined him for more than four months.
During the first month and a half, Andriy Lunin, Alaba, Modric and Luka Jovic also experienced spells on the sidelines.
By the final match before the October break, Ancelotti was without Marcelo, Mendy, Ceballos, Isco, Marco Asensio, Gareth Bale and Mariano Diaz.
Madrid accumulated 60 different injuries across their first ten fixtures, making it the most damaging opening period among the seasons compared here.
Judging by these figures, Mourinho’s current record offers a reason for optimism, but sustaining that improvement will be the real challenge.
With domestic and European commitments set to intensify, Real Madrid must continue managing workloads carefully if they want to avoid the recurring injury problems that have undermined previous campaigns.
