The latest media reports from Spain indicate that Thibaut Courtois’ injury is more serious than initially thought, and consequently, his absence from the pitch will be longer.
The Belgian goalkeeper suffered a muscle injury during the first half of Real Madrid Champions League Round of 16 second-leg match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Initial assessments of Courtois’s muscle injury suggested it was not serious, and that the player only needed a short period of rest before returning to play after the current international break.
While Bayern Munich received reassuring news before facing Real Madrid regarding the return of legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who has recovered from his injury, Real Madrid finds itself without its first-choice goalkeeper against the German giants.
Details of Courtois’ injury
According to ESPN, recent tests have revealed that Courtois is suffering from two different injuries, one in his right foot and the other in his left.
The current problem is that Courtois’ left leg muscle injury is more serious than initially thought, and the treatments he has received recently have not yielded any significant improvement.
How long will Courtois be out for Real Madrid?
Initially, it is unlikely that Thibaut Courtois will participate in Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final second leg matches against Bayern Munich.
Courtois needs an additional month of absence to recover and return to play, with the first week of May being the tentative date for his return.
Matches Courtois will miss due to the injury
Courtois will miss the La Liga matches against Mallorca, Girona, Alavés, and Real Betis, in addition to the two matches against Bayern Munich. It is also possible that he will miss the semi-final if Real Madrid manages to overcome the Bavarian giants.
If all goes according to plan, the 32-year-old is expected to make his return to the pitch on May 3rd, when Real Madrid visit Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium.
Now, Real Madrid’s biggest goal is to get Courtois ready to return and guard the Los Blancos’ goal in the crucial La Liga title match against Barcelona, which will be held on May 10th at the Camp Nou.
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Lunin ready to replace Courtois in Real Madrid’s goal
In Courtois’ absence, Andriy Lunin will be Real Madrid’s first-choice goalkeeper after a long period of absence.
The Ukrainian goalkeeper appeared in the second half of the Manchester City match and also played in the last match against Atlético Madrid before the international break, which Real Madrid won 3-2.
🚨 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡: Thibaut Courtois’ injury situation has worsened.
It would take a miracle for him to feature in the UCL second leg against Bayern Munich.
— @Rodra10_97 pic.twitter.com/jdj0wKEksN— Injury Time Doc 🩺 (@Blues_Alfred) March 29, 2026
Lunin was left out of the Ukrainian national team camp during the March international break, when his country lost 3-1 to Sweden, thus missing out on a place in the 2026 World Cup.
It is worth noting that Lunin has been on the radar of several clubs, most notably Inter Milan, but the player has decided to postpone any negotiations until the end of Real Madrid’s current season.
The Royal Club currently sits second in La Liga, four points behind leaders Barcelona, and will face Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.
