Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois Sidelined for 2023-24 Season Due to ACL Injury: Goalkeeper Dilemma Unfolds

Real Madrid was hit with unfortunate news on Thursday, as they confirmed Thibaut Courtois’ severe ACL injury, effectively ruling him out for the entirety of the upcoming 2023-24 season, a devastating blow even before the campaign’s commencement.

The setback carries significant implications for both Courtois and the club. The Belgian international has consistently held the top goalkeeping spot at Los Blancos since his arrival, emerging as one of their standout performers over this period.

As a consequence, Andriy Lunin is set to assume the starting role in Real Madrid’s LaLiga opener against Athletic Club on Saturday. Reports from Diario AS suggest that Lunin nurtures aspirations of stepping into Courtois’ shoes for the current season.

Regrettably, this transition won’t transpire, as Real Madrid is actively in pursuit of a new primary goalkeeper. David De Gea and Yassine Bounou are the frontrunners for this position, with the latter being favored by Carlo Ancelotti and his coaching team.

Sources indicate that Ancelotti’s satisfaction with Lunin has been less than optimal during his second tenure as Real Madrid’s head coach. In fact, he had initially anticipated the sale of Lunin this summer. Given this lack of confidence, it logically follows that Lunin won’t retain the number one spot for the upcoming season.