Real Madrid beat Manchester City earlier this week to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals, but it didn’t come without sacrifices. Thibaut Courtois, who had been in fine form at the Etihad Stadium, was forced off at half-time with a muscle problem and the early signs were not promising.
Courtois was initially expected to be available for this weekend’s Madrid derby, which could have a major impact on Real Madrid’s La Liga title race against Barcelona. However, that now looks less and less likely, especially now that Diario AS reports that the Belgian goalkeeper may have torn his right adductor muscle.
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Courtois will undergo further medical tests on Thursday, when a clearer picture will be available. Real Madrid had hoped it was just an overload, but now Alvaro Arbeloa could be without his first-choice goalkeeper for weeks.
How long will Courtois be absent?
Considering that Courtois was injured in the warm-up before the game against Manchester City, this means that he may have aggravated the injury during the game, so the possibility of tearing is very high. A minor injury could mean he’s out for 3-4 weeks at best, but a serious injury could mean he’s out for months – either way he won’t be able to play again before the international break, so he’s effectively ruled out of this weekend’s Madrid derby.
It must be remembered that Real Madrid will face Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals. The first leg is due to take place at the Bernabeu in three weeks and if Courtois is lucky he will be able to return in time, although the latest diagnosis means that is very uncertain.
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Real Madrid will learn more about Courtois’ situation over the next 24 hours. They will be praying for positive news, but in the meantime Andrei Lunin will be preparing to face Atletico Madrid this weekend.