Ancelotti’s decision that could ‘BLOW UP’ Real Madrid locker room

10 May 2024 14:50 BST
2 min read

Carlo Ancelotti during Real Madrid's Champions League semi-final with Bayern Munich, May 2024 — © IMAGO

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has been warned of a decision he will take that could “blow up” the locker room of the club – and it surprisingly does not involve Kylian Mbappe.

The Italian faces a major dilemma about where Mbappe will fit into his plans when he arrives at the end of his PSG contract in the summer, yet before Ancelotti turns his thoughts towards the Frenchman there is another problem he will have to consider ahead of the Champions League final.

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Madrid qualified for the showpiece event this week thanks to a stunning 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich. Los Blancos pulled off a remarkable escape as Joselu scored two late goals against the Bundesliga giants, continuing the club’s reputation for drama in Europe’s biggest competition.

His headache surrounds the goalkeeping role, with Sport reporting that the situation could become one that sets off a powder keg of issues at the Bernabeu.

Lunin vs Courtois

Andriy Lunin has been a key figure in Real Madrid’s run to the final of the competition. The Ukraine star has often excelled, notably in the away leg against RB Leipzig, when Los Blancos were battered by the German club but came through with a 1-0 thanks to a Brahim Diaz wondergoal.

Lunin has worked hard to earn the gloves. When Thibaut Courtois picked up a serious injury at the start of the season, Kepa Arrizabalaga was drafted in on loan from Chelsea to become the No.1 keeper. The former Zorya Luhansk shot-stopper has seen off the most expensive goalkeeper in the world.

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Courtois, meanwhile, is now back after injury and featured for the first time in LaLiga this season by keeping a clean sheet against Cadiz last weekend.

He will be eager for more pitch time to win a place in the Champions League final – a stage he was man of the match on when Real Madrid won the 2022 edition of the competition – but Lunin also needs to stay sharp.

Sport warns: “The Italian coach will have the challenge of preventing the situation of the goalkeepers from having a negative influence on the Madrid locker room.

“Today, Lunin seems the favourite to play in the Wembley final on 1 June, but there is still a world of time left and things can still take a turn.”

Read more about: La Liga, Real Madrid, Andriy Lunin, Arrizabalaga, Thibaut Courtois