For this uncertain end of the season, especially on the European stage, Carlo Ancelotti will have to deal with a huge puzzle at Real Madrid. But for now, the Italian prefers to remain in denial. Sometimes, it takes courage as a coach, especially when establishing a hierarchy for goalkeepers.
Leading Brazil, Tite, for example, had the guts to entrust the reins to Alisson, to the detriment of Ederson. A radical choice that Mauricio Pochettino at PSG was unable to handle, opting for a rotation between Keylor Navas and Gianluigi Donnarumma. However, the Argentine quickly realized that this option would clash with their egos and then decided, pushing the Italian as the number one for the following season.
We haven’t reached that point yet in Madrid, but Carlo Ancelotti will still have to face a similar dilemma at the end of this season. That of defining who will guard the Real Madrid goal in view of a possible Champions League final. On one hand, Ukrainian Andriy Lunin, almost impeccable since his official takeover from Kepa in January. On the other hand, Thibaut Courtois, one of Europe’s best goalkeepers over the past 10 years, and returning from a serious knee injury in recent weeks (he then tore his meniscus in March but is now back).
Courtois will play against Cadiz this weekend
“Courtois will play tomorrow against Cadiz (this Saturday), and Lunin against Bayern on Wednesday in the Champions League semi-final return leg,” Carlo Ancelotti said in a press conference on Friday. So far, it’s hard to be clearer. But what about the future, especially in the Champions League, if there is one (Real Madrid was held by Bayern Munich in the first leg)? In recent years, some coaches, like Antoine Kombouaré, had faced similar situations in cup competitions.
Impeccable throughout the 2022 Coupe de France campaign, Rémy Descamps had been relegated to the bench at the Stade de France, in favor of number one Alban Lafont (Nantes won 1-0 against Nice). The same scenario the following year with a humiliation suffered against Toulouse (5-1). Injustice or not towards the second-choice goalkeeper? This decision remains at the discretion of the coaches.
In this case, Carlo Ancelotti will have to tug at the heartstrings to convince his “sacrificed” if there were to be a final. When asked about the subject in a press conference on Friday, the Italian preferred to dodge: “We only think about the final we have on Wednesday against Bayern.
We don’t think about what could happen in a month. We’ll see. But I hope we can think about it, it will mean we’ve reached the Champions League final in London.” With a more than successful interim in the Madrid goal, especially in the quarter-finals where he thwarted Manchester City in the penalty shootout, Lunin could experience a demotion as humiliation. Courtois, not one to hide his feelings, as evidenced by his open conflict with the Belgian national team coach, Domenico Tedesco, who did not wish to appoint him captain, could also be dragging his sorrow. So good luck to Carlo Ancelotti.
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