Despite Real Madrid’s impressive victory over Osasuna, there is a downside to this win that coach Carlo Ancelotti may have already noticed.
The team’s excellent performance against Osasuna helped dispel some of the doubts about Ancelotti’s squad, but this match, which was meant to ease tensions, exposed three major issues: injuries to several players.
Ancelotti is currently focused on preparing for the upcoming match against Leganés, and he will make his decision on the starting lineup in due course. However, there is one issue that left the coach feeling uneasy, and his son, Davide, is already aware of it.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper “Defensa Central”, Ancelotti did not make any drastic changes to the lineup, as he was satisfied with only two adjustments: he rested Ferland Mendy and Luka Modrić, giving Fran García and Eduardo Camavinga a chance following the defeat to Milan (1-3) in the Champions League.
Regarding the goalkeeping position, Andriy Lunin returned to protect the team’s goal. The Ukrainian goalkeeper replaced Thibaut Courtois, who is suffering from a left thigh muscle injury. Lunin put in a great performance, as Saturday’s match was a final test for him. He excelled with both his saves and his leadership on the field, playing a crucial role in Vinícius’ second goal after receiving the ball and passing it beautifully to his teammate.
Ancelotti is expected to reinstate Courtois to the starting lineup after his recovery, which will return Lunin to the bench. However, the Italian coach is fully aware of the significant role the Ukrainian goalkeeper plays in matches, especially since he has not been at fault for the goals scored against him.
The newspaper concluded that Ancelotti told his assistant Davide that the decision to return Lunin to the bench hurts him, but he cannot afford to leave a goalkeeper of Courtois’ caliber on the bench.