The state of health of Courtois and Rüdiger is the focus of Real Madrid’s concerns a couple of days before the Clásico, this coming Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu. The sensations are pessimistic regarding the Belgian goalkeeper, suffering from an inflammation in the sacrum, but positive regarding the German center-back, who suffered 20 stitches on his face in Tuesday’s Champions League match in Warsaw against Shakhtar but who could play with a protective mask.
Real Madrid has not ruled out Courtois yet. He believes that his recovery is progressing well, but everything indicates that he will not arrive in time to be under the sticks against Barcelona. Club sources pointed out that the goalkeeper trained today, Friday, inside the Valdebebas facilities and on the pitch, and that tomorrow, Saturday, he will undergo a final test to decide whether or not he is included in Ancelotti’s list.
If Courtois cannot play, it will be the first classic for the Ukrainian Lunin, who has started four games (the League games against Osasuna and Getafe and the two Champions League games against Shakhtar). In all he has complied without further ado. He is not reminded of serious failures or big stops. And only against Getafe did he keep a clean sheet.
Who is sure that he will enter the list is the German Antonio Rüdiger. Three days after playing against Shakhtar and receiving that blow to the head that cost him 20 stitches, the German jumped onto the Valdebebas pitch this morning wearing boots to exercise with his teammates. He did it without a mask and with a bandage that covered the wound. If he played he would do it with a mask. The other injured member of the squad is Sevillian midfielder Dani Ceballos.
