Real Madrid will be without their star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for the highly anticipated derby against Atlético Madrid this weekend at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The Belgian goalkeeper was substituted at halftime during Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League round of 16.
According to Marca, Courtois is suffering from a hamstring injury and will definitely miss the derby.
Initial indications are not encouraging for Real Madrid, and there are doubts that Courtois’s absence could extend to weeks, not just a single match, due to the severity of the injury.
The positive aspect for Real Madrid is that the derby is followed by an international break, giving Courtois two weeks to regain his fitness before the final quarter of the season begins.
If the injury is just a minor strain, he could be fully fit within 7 to 10 days. However, if it turns out to be a grade two tear or more serious, it could affect his participation in the crucial matches in April.
In Courtois’ absence, Andriy Lunin will be Real Madrid’s goalkeeper after his impressive performance against Manchester City in the second half, in only his fourth appearance this season across all competitions.
