April 26, (THEWILL) – Carlo Ancelotti, the seasoned Italian manager of Real Madrid, has dropped a hint about the potential return of the club’s talismanic goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois.
The 64-year-old tactician revealed on Thursday, that the Belgian international, sidelined for the entirety of the season due to a knee ligament injury and a subsequent setback in March necessitating another operation, could be primed for action as early as next week.
With Real Madrid facing a pivotal UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich on Tuesday, followed by a La Liga clash with Cadiz on the subsequent Saturday, Ancelotti’s words will ignite hope among the club’s faithful. “He’s well, I think he will be available to travel with us next week (to Munich) and he can play against Cadiz,” the veteran coach divulged during a news conference.
Courtois’ potential return would provide a significant boost to Real Madrid’s ambitions, as they navigate the business end of the season. In the Belgian’s absence, Andriy Lunin has risen to the occasion, earning Ancelotti’s trust as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, surpassing the on-loan Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea.
The Ukrainian’s heroics, which included saving two penalties against Manchester City last week, propelled Real Madrid into the UCL semi-finals. Ancelotti also provided an update on another key figure, Jude Bellingham, revealing that the England international would miss Friday’s La Liga encounter against Real Sociedad due to a “stomach problem”.
However, the focus remains firmly on the impending clashes, with Real Madrid boasting an 11-point lead atop the table ahead of Barcelona. Meanwhile, Barca’s coach, Xavi Hernandez, has confirmed his stay at the club next season, backtracking on his earlier statement from January.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
