Andriy Lunin: The Goalkeeper Who Waited for His Moment to Shine Deserves the Best
It was summer, precisely August 10, 2023. On that day, Madridistas received the terrible news that Thibaut Courtois had torn the cruciate ligament in his left knee. The best goalkeeper in the world with the worst injury a footballer could have. This was just a warning of the year ahead with the infirmary…
From that moment on, Real Madrid started looking for a goalkeeper. Several movements were made in the noble area of Chamartín. Names like David De Gea, Bono, Mamardashvili, and Kepa Arrizabalaga were mentioned. The latter would be chosen to replace the Belgian.
However, nobody counted on Andriy Lunin, even though he played the first league match at San Mamés. Since the Basque player arrived at the Merengues, he became the starter, and the Ukrainian, once again, was in the background. Even without Courtois, he couldn’t secure the starting position. His situation within the squad was quite tough.
However, football, like life, takes many twists and turns. On November 8, before the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Sporting Braga, Kepa felt discomfort in the adductor of his right leg and couldn’t play. From that moment on, everything changed.
A penalty that marked a turning point Fate couldn’t have been more capricious. In that match, Lucas Vázquez committed a penalty in the early minutes. Andriy Lunin managed to stop the penalty and put on a good performance. From then on, the debate began. Even in every press conference, Carlo Ancelotti was asked about this matter.
Time has proven the Ukrainian right. He has convinced the technical staff that nowadays, they have no doubts about who should be the starting goalkeeper. Once Kepa recovered from his injury, he played again, yes, but the mistake he made in the Spanish Super Cup against Atlético de Madrid marked him. In fact, he didn’t play the final against FC Barcelona.
The data didn’t lie, and Ancelotti made the decision According to the data compiled in January (the month Ancelotti definitively made Lunin the starter) by BeSoccer Pro for Agencia EFE, it can be seen that Lunin had better statistics than Kepa. He conceded fewer goals (0.56 compared to 0.78), made more saves (2.7 compared to 2.07), had a better percentage per shot faced (82.76% compared to 72.73%), intervened more times for every goal conceded (4.8 compared to 2.76), achieved a higher clean sheet record (50 compared to 42.86), and a higher percentage of aerial duels won (100 compared to 71.43).
The only aspect in which Kepa had better numbers than Lunin was in punched clearances, 0.19 compared to 0.11. All these records are provided in the 14 games Kepa had played and the 8 of Lunin.
Thus, Carletto made the decision to bet on the Ukrainian, and the goalkeeper who still belongs to Chelsea stopped playing. Unless there is a major surprise, the intention of the sports management is not to exercise the buyout option. He will pack his bags at the Santiago Bernabéu and return to Stamford Bridge.
A well-deserved reward Curiously, Andriy Lunin arrived at Real Madrid in 2018, just like Thibaut Courtois. The Ukrainian, who was only 19 years old, cost 9 million euros. Florentino Pérez decided that the best option was a loan, and he went through Real Valladolid and Leganés. Since the 2020-2021 season, he has been with the Blancos and has been in Courtois’s shadow.
His journey has never been easy. He has always been the backup goalkeeper, but he has never frowned and has never tried to disrupt the good atmosphere in the Blancos’ locker room. Thus, he endured with hard work, and his stellar moment within the club has arrived this season.
He has a contract until 2025. The top management wants him to continue, but they would also understand if he seeks playing time away from the Spanish capital. It is logical to think that Courtois will return to play as soon as he recovers.
A reliable goalkeeper The important thing, and what Lunin takes away from all this, is that he is proving that he can play at the highest level. His performances have caught the attention of several European teams, and he obviously has a market.
The two options from summer onwards are very clear: renew or leave, because the club will want to receive some money for him. If it were up to Real Madrid, they would extend his contract, but if an offer arrives and he wants to leave, they will open the doors for him.
As mentioned earlier, he arrived at the White House at the age of 19. As a teenager, he decided to embark on the most demanding adventure he will have in his career. Now, at 26, it is conceivable that he may think that it is time for a change of scenery. He has shown that he is a real goalkeeper, and for that, we must be pleased for him.
Destined for the bench? Obviously, Courtois will be the starter from next season onwards. However, this question arises about what might happen when the Belgian returns in practically a month.
Many, including myself, take for granted that he will be the starter. But perhaps Carlo Ancelotti wants to finish the season with Lunin and thus give him the reward he deserves. The management of the Reggiolo coach will be interesting, who, in this type of matter, handles the locker room better than anyone else.
The important thing is that, regardless of what happens, the protagonist of this story has shown that he is at the level to be between the posts at any important club. He knew how to endure after so long on the bench and did not fail. He rose to the occasion and set an example of what it means to be a good teammate. At Real Madrid, they couldn’t be more grateful to him. He deserves the best.
