Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois missed Sunday’s home match against Osasuna due to a sciatica attack, which will keep him out until he feels better, according to club sources.
The 30-year-old goalkeeper has a nerve problem in his back, which prevents him from moving as freely as he would like. Courtois will be treated in Valdebebas in the hopes of recovering, but no doctor can predict when the pain will go away. His recovery could take ”days or weeks”, as per reports. The Belgium international will almost certainly be available for selection in the highly anticipated match against Barcelona on October 16.
Courtois has appeared nine times for Los Blancos this season, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side winning all of them, but only three clean sheets have been recorded across all competitions by a goalkeeper regarded as one of the best in the business.
While Courtois is out, backup goalkeeper Andriy Lunin will fill in, and this could be a pivotal moment in Real Madrid’s season. The Ukrainian struggled in the 1-1 draw with Osasuna, but Madrid believes he has the potential to replace Courtois, who was the best goalkeeper in European football during the 2021-2022 season.
As a result of a 1-1 against Osasuna, Real lost their hold on first place in LaLiga. It was a major setback for Ancelotti’s side, as the Catalans now sit first and have been in fantastic form following an unexpected draw on the opening day. As a result, the title race between Spain’s top teams is expected to be extremely close this time around.
The upcoming game against Shakhtar Donetsk represents a good opportunity for Real Madrid to bounce back, though they are also missing some key players. While Karim Benzema made his long-awaited return against Osasuna, missing the penalty kick, Luka Modric was also sidelined.
Ancelotti’s injury woes could worsen as Spanish media outlet AS reports that midfielder Eduardo Camavinga did not train with the rest of the team earlier today and only did some indoor work.
