LALIGA
How many games has Andriy Lunin played for Real Madrid? What is his record with Los Blancos?
Following a serious injury suffered by Thibaut Courtois, Lunin is set to start Los Blancos’ first LaLiga fixture of the season at Athletic Club.
Real Madrid are going to have to make do without first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for the majority of the 2023/24 campaign after it was revealed on Thursday, two days before their first LaLiga fixture of the season against Athletic Club, that the Belgian had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in training. Manager Carlo Ancelotti now faces quite a conundrum: sign a new number one to cover Courtois’ expected six-to-nine month absence, or give back-up Andriy Lunin a chance to impress?
De Gea and Bono linked as Courtois replacements
Almost immediately after news of Courtois’ injury broke, it was reported by UK broadcaster Sky Sports that Los Blancos had contacted David De Gea, out of favour at Manchester United, while the club have also held talks with Sevilla over Moroccan international Yassine Bounou, perhaps better known as Bono.
Ancelotti’s “complete confidence” in Lunin
Nothing has come to pass as yet, however, and Ancelotti revealed in his pre-match press conference ahead of the match against Athletic that he had “complete confidence” in Lunin, a phrase he somewhat cryptically repeated when asked if a potential new goalkeeper would be first choice ahead of the Ukrainian.
Barring a last-minute surprise transfer, Lunin will start for Madrid in the Basque Country and may get the chance to prove he is an able replacement for Courtois, who has been a crucial part of the success the club have enjoyed since he joined in 2018.
Incredibly enough, the Ukraine international signed for the club in the very same summer but spent the first three years of his time in Spain out of loan at Leganés, Real Valladolid and Real Oviedo, for whom he played a combined total of only 29 games, just five of which were in LaLiga.
Lunin heading into fourth season in Real Madrid first team
Despite that relative lack of game time, Lunin has been Courtois’ back-up for the last three seasons, which have seen him make 17 first-team appearances, covering on the rare occasion the Belgian has been injured, as well as starting the odd Copa del Rey match against lower-league opposition.
2020-21: shock Alcoyano defeat
In 2020-21, his very first season in the Real Madrid first-team, Lunin made only one appearance, in the shock 2-1 Copa del Rey defeat to third-tier Alcoyano.
2021-22: first taste of LaLiga with Madrid
The following year, the Ukrainian once more played from the off in the first two rounds of Spanish Cup, helping his team get revenge on Alcoyano and scrape past Elche. He kept a clean sheet in neither of those games, which was also the case in the two leagues games he played once Madrid were already assured of the title, a defeat to Atlético Madrid and a draw against Cádiz.
2022-23: more appearances due to Courtois injuries
Last season was the one in which Lunin made most appearances, mainly as a result of minor injuries suffered by Courtois. He played 12 games in total (seven in LaLiga, two in the Champions League, two in the FIFA Club World Cup, one in the Copa del Rey) and did manage to keep his first clean sheets - three of them - of his Real Madrid career, but conceded more than a goal a game on average (13).
Los Merengues won the FIFA Club World Cup with Lunin between the sticks, although they did let in four goals in two matches to Egyptian club Al Ahly and Al Hilal of the Saudi Pro League.
Lunin’s overall record with Real Madrid
All in all, Lunin has played a total 17 matches for Los Blancos, in which he has conceded 19 goals and kept only four clean sheets. Of those games, Madrid have won 10, drawn three and lost four. Will the 24-year-old make it beyond start number 18 following Saturday’s trip to Bilbao?