Lunin returns against a Barça whose measurements have been taken

<a href="https://www.archysport.com/2022/01/real-madrid-is-put-to-the-test-against-elche-at-its-best/" title="Real Madrid is put to the test against Elche at its best”>Andriy Lunin will once again be called up by Carlo Ancelotti in the classic that the Santiago Bernabéu will host this Saturday. The loss due to injury of Thibaut Courtois, who suffered against Borussia Dortmund due to the ailment in his left adductor that already left him out of action after the controversial derby held at the end of September at the Metropolitano, returns the focus to the Ukrainian goalkeeper against a Barça that has the measure taken. The Slav has faced the Barça team on three occasions and his team emerged victorious in all of them.

Lunin presents an immaculate service record in the duels that confront the two transatlantic players of Spanish football. His debut in an event of such substance, with the eyes of all the fans focused on his figure, took place on October 16, 2022. The injury to the lower back that Courtois was suffering at that time meant that Lunin had to stand between the posts in a match in which Real Madrid managed to win 3-1. Benzema put the whites ahead shortly after the match began at the Santiago Bernabéu, Valverde increased the home team’s lead after the first half hour and Rodrygo rounded off the victory already in stoppage time. Before, Ferran Torres had managed to close the gap for the visiting side, taking advantage of a great cross from Ansu Fati to beat Lunin at will.

The Ukrainian could do nothing to prevent the Valencian attacker from scoring, but the Slav passed the test with flying colors in those weeks in which his profile was under suspicion at the club, always relegated to ostracism by Courtois. «He has shown that he is ready, prepared and that he is a great goalkeeper. Each game is better and he accumulates more experience, which is what he lacks. He is very young and has quality. “He just lacks experience,” Ancelotti said at the time about a goalkeeper who would shine again days later with several decisive interventions against Elche that were applauded by his competitor for the position. “Great Luninnnnn,” Tibu wrote on his social networks after seeing his performance at the Martínez Valero.

Once the back discomfort he was suffering was overcome, Courtois regained the spotlight and Lunin went into reserve. He only appeared in six more games that season, but everything changed in the following campaign. The tear in the anterior cruciate ligament of the left knee, with involvement of the meniscus, suffered by the Bree wall two days before the start of the 2023-24 League opened a new scenario for Lunin. Although to do so, the Slav had to overcome Ancelotti’s initial reluctance.

‘Sorpasso’ to Kepa against the Blaugranas

Real Madrid responded to Courtois’ serious injury by agreeing with Chelsea on the loan of Kepa. Carletto doubted that Lunin was up to the challenge. He played in the first two rounds, against Athletic and Almería, but Kepa replaced him on the third round of the championship. This situation continued until Ondarroa’s goalkeeper was injured in the warm-up prior to the Champions League match against Braga at the Santiago Bernabéu. With almost no time to digest the situation, Lunin jumped onto the grass, saved a penalty taken by Álvaro Djaló and showed that he was up to the task.

By then, Kepa had already played in the 1-2 that Real Madrid achieved against Barça in the first round of the League and maintained a one-on-one with Lunin until the Spanish Super Cup ruled in favor of the Ukrainian. The Basque’s lackluster performance in the semi-final against Atlético confirmed the changing of the guard. Lunin convinced in the final against Barça, resolved by Real Madrid with a hat-trick from Vinicius and where the Slav recorded five saves and could only be surpassed by Lewandowski with a goal that was ultimately inconsequential. The Pole had previously been the victim of a wild save by Lunin, who also blocked Ferran twice while the score remained balanced.

That Spanish Super Cup broke the bicephaly between Courtois’s squires and established Lunin’s ownership also in the classic of the second round of the League. There, with the Santiago Bernabéu as the setting, Lunin received six shots on goal from Barça and stopped four. He was soft when trying to block the corner that served Christensen to put Barça ahead in the 6th minute and although he reacted well to the diversionary maneuver that Ferran Torres executed after a shot from Lamine Yamal when the 1-1 lead in the score, he could do nothing to prevent Fermín from scoring 1-2 taking advantage of his rebound. However, Real Madrid would come back with goals from Lucas Vázquez and Bellingham, saving a tie that Lunin, whose baggage this season is reduced to two games against Lille and Villarreal and one goal conceded, would put at risk this Saturday.