- Ancelotti has confirmed that Courtois will start in the Champions League final
- The Belgian has played just four games since suffering an ACL injury in August.
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Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Thibaut Courtois will start ahead of Andriy Lunin in the Champions League final.
The Belgian goalkeeper has played only four times all season after suffering an ACL injury last August.
In his absence, Lunin established himself as number one, ahead of Kepa Arrizabalaga, and produced some superb performances in Real’s run to the final, including the quarter-final penalty shootout victory over Manchester City.
The Ukrainian fell ill with the flu earlier this week and will not take part in the match against Borussia Dortmund.
‘Lunin has had the flu. He didn’t allow him to train or travel,’ Ancelotti said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.
Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that Thibaut Courtois will start in the Champions League final
Lunin will be on the bench at Wembley after contracting the flu earlier this week.
‘He is traveling tomorrow. Of course he will be on the bench and yes, Courtois will be in goal tomorrow.”
On Thursday, Lunin apologized to the fans and posted on Instagram: “I am very sorry not to be able to prepare for the most important game of the season and the most important game of my life together with the team…
‘Thank you very much for all your messages, support and encouragement!!! By day 15’
Courtois will go into the final match fit, having returned from his long layoff this month and featured in a few games.
The 32-year-old played four of Real Madrid’s last five games of the LaLiga season, including 63 minutes against Real Betis last weekend.
Despite recovering, Courtois was excluded from Belgium’s provisional 25-man squad for the European Championship earlier this week.
Meanwhile, the whites seek to win the two-time club football championship. biggest prize for the fifteenth time
