Real Madrid will enter their highly anticipated La Liga clash against Barcelona on Saturday evening missing two crucial players: Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo.
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Courtois, who played a full match earlier this week, contributed to Madrid’s impressive 5-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. However, the 32-year-old goalkeeper has been ruled out of El Clásico due to a hip injury.
According to a statement from Real Madrid,
“Following tests carried out on our player Thibaut Courtois by Real Madrid’s medical services, he has been diagnosed with an adductor injury in his left leg.”
This injury will also prevent him from participating in Madrid’s upcoming La Liga match against Valencia on November 2, as well as their Champions League fixture at home against AC Milan on November 5.
In Courtois’s absence, Andriy Lunin will take over goalkeeping duties, marking his third appearance of the season. Lunin has been training at the Valdebebas training ground in preparation for the pivotal match.
Madrid will also miss the services of forward Rodrygo, who sustained a hamstring injury during the win over Dortmund.
The club confirmed, “Following the tests carried out today, he has been diagnosed with a muscle injury in the right femoral biceps.”
Rodrygo’s absence adds to the challenge facing Madrid as they look to close the gap on their rivals.
As of now, Barcelona sits at the top of La Liga, holding a three-point advantage over Real Madrid.
Under the management of Hansi Flick, Barcelona has demonstrated strong form, including an impressive 4-1 victory against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, with Brazilian forward Raphinha netting a hat-trick.
In light of Barcelona’s successful start to the season, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged their clear style of play, stating, “Barcelona have a very clear way of playing and are doing a good job.
They are a brave team, and we have to prepare to play as well as we possibly can.” He emphasized the importance of executing a complete performance, both in attacking and defensive phases, to secure a victory in this high-stakes encounter.
Ancelotti also commented on young Barcelona talent Lamine Yamal, noting, “He’s started his career in spectacular fashion. I love the way he plays and his attitude.
He’s a dangerous player, but we can’t afford to focus too much on that.” The manager stressed the need for his team to concentrate on their own tactics while respecting the quality of their opponents.
As the countdown to El Clásico continues, fans will be eager to see how Real Madrid adapts to the absence of Courtois and Rodrygo against a formidable Barcelona side.