Thibaut Courtois ‘to miss’ Madrid derby after hamstring strain | OneFootball

Thibaut Courtois is set to miss Real Madrid’s derby with Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu after suffering a hamstring issue against Manchester City. Marca states the injury is a strain and says he is all but ruled out for Sunday night.

The Belgian was withdrawn at half-time of the 2-1 Round of 16 win, having made important first-half saves from Erling Haaland and Rodri at the Etihad as Los Blancos protected a three-goal first-leg lead. Andriy Lunin warmed up during the interval and Alvaro Arbeloa made the change.

Courtois will undergo tests on Wednesday morning to confirm the extent of the problem, and the early signs are not encouraging.

An international break follows the derby, giving the 33-year-old a window to recover. If it is a minor strain, he could return in seven to 10 days. A grade two or more serious tear would interfere with Los Blancos’ fixtures in April.

Lunin looked assured after coming on, producing a couple of early saves. The Ukrainian has featured only three other times this season, twice in the Copa del Rey, a 3-1 win over Talavera de la Reina and a 3-2 loss to Albacete, and once in the Champions League, a 4-3 win against Olympiakos. He has 66 appearances for Los Blancos, and Fran Gonzalez will be his alternative on Sunday.

Source: Football Espana