Real Madrid’s Goalkeeper Dilemma and What To Do

The Champions League final is right around the corner, with Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid battling it out in Wembley. It is a historic final in many ways: Real Madrid are chasing a record 15th Champions League, while Dortmund are looking for their first win since 1997. It also serves as the final game for both midfielder Toni Kroos and attacking midfielder Marco Reus, with Kroos retiring from Madrid and the beautiful game, and Reus moving on from Dortmund after more than a decade.

Building up to this game, both Dortmund Head Coach Edin Terzic and Real Madrid Head Coach Carlo Ancelotti are looking to finalize their starting 11. The Dortmund team looks set, with veterans Mats Hummels and Reus to continue, and Gregor Kobel to start in net. The Real Madrid team, though, is far from set, especially considering the goalkeeping dilemma. Ancelotti has a headache picking his number one for the final, with two fantastic options in Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin. Courtois has entrenched himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the past few years, leading Madrid to the Champions League title in 2022. Lunin, on the other hand, has had quite the underdog story, finding himself as the third-choice keeper at the start of this season, behind Courtois and Kepa Arrizabalaga. Courtois went on to suffer a nasty ACL injury, ruling him out for the majority of the season, and his replacement, Kepa, had underwhelming performances while picking up injuries of his own. This was the perfect opening for Lunin, who has grabbed the opportunity with both hands, and has performed on the biggest stages for Madrid this season.

The Case for Lunin:

A strong case for Lunin to start the final should definitely be made. The Ukrainian has been the hero for Madrid numerous times this season, and his stats are there to back him up. He has made 21 appearances in the league, across which he has conceded just 17 goals. He also has 10 clean sheets, making it into the top ten for goalkeepers in La Liga, with significantly less games played. In the Champions League, he has played eight games with 10 goals conceded and two clean sheets. Despite conceding more than a goal per game in the Champions League, his performances have been valiant. He made several incredible saves to keep RB Leipzig at bay, bailing out his struggling defense. A decent performance in the first leg against Manchester City was followed up by an incredible performance in the second leg. Lunin made several key saves to keep City at only one goal, and then was the hero in the penalty shoot out, making two saves to eliminate City. He has had two solid performances against Bayern to help Real to the final, something they definitely wouldn’t have reached without him.

Lunin’s contribution to the team this season cannot be overlooked. Real Madrid’s defense was significantly hit with three major injuries to starting players David Alaba, Eder Militao, and Thibaut Courtois. Courtois’s replacement, Kepa, didn’t cover himself in glory, and paved the way for Lunin to step up and truly show his quality. His key distinction of making big saves when it matters most is exactly what Real needed. Madrid haven’t been at their best this season, but still find themselves in the Champions League final, largely thanks to Lunin. Lunin may not be the most aggressive keeper, and he may not have the best feet either, but he makes the big saves, arguably the most important quality. The deciding factor for Ancelotti is which keeper will come on top in the biggest game this season, and Lunin has certainly made the case for himself.

The Case for Courtois:

Courtois makes a case for the starting spot simply by being himself. He has been arguably the best goalkeeper in the world the last two to three seasons, and his big presence in goal helps calm his defense. Courtois has also come back with a bang, making an extraordinary 10 saves in a 5-0 win over Alaves on May 14, giving flashbacks to his man of the match performance against Liverpool in the Champions League final in 2022, making nine saves. While the impact of his injury has been minimized by Lunin’s performances this season, there has been a certain dip in form, and his presence cannot be denied. At 6’7”, Courtois has one of the biggest presences in football. Having such a big presence is a gift to any defense, and helps them put off opposing strikers. His incredible shot-stopping ability is second to none, and while he may not be the best with his feet, Real’s play style doesn’t need him to be a maestro.

Courtois is Carlo Ancelotti’s trusted option. Ancelotti can look at him and know he has got one of the best in the world between the sticks. The only worry for Ancelotti would be match sharpness. While it may seem Courtois has hit the ground running, he has only played in La Liga matches after Madrid have already won the title, against lesser opposition. The Champions League Final will be completely different, playing against a good Borussia Dortmund side with a lot of pressure being placed on the starting goalkeeper. 

The Verdict:

If I were Ancelotti, I would start Lunin in the final. It is definitely a tough call, especially since both goalkeepers have performed admirably well, with one being an established great and the other having an amazing season. I think the deciding factors are recent performances and match fitness. Both Lunin and Courtois have had impressive recent performances, but match fitness is where the difference is at. Lunin has played in high stake games this season, and has proven that he can perform when it matters. Courtois has as well, but he hasn’t played in a big game in a while. The pressure of the biggest game of the season can get to everyone, including the very best. Rushing Courtois back into the starting eleven for the Champions League final after his long injury layover may not be the best idea for Ancelotti. 

The final reason for Madrid to start Lunin is that he deserves it. Lunin has stepped up more than any other player this season, and has had a dream run with Madrid to the final. The Ukrainian international has stuck to his task and has done extremely well, all at the young age of 25. His performances over the entire season merit a start in the Champions League final. After Madrid’s final game before Wembley against Real Betis, it may seem that Ancelotti is leaning towards Courtois, as he sent out his envisioned starting eleven. While this may seem concerning for Lunin, I feel he still has a great chance of starting, as Ancelotti has appreciated his performances this season. Ancelotti’s problem is a good one to have, and there’s no one way of looking at it.