Real Madrid‘s first preseason friendly before the 2021-2022 campaign was more of the same, which isn’t exactly a good thing. The team looked stagnant in attack and had some breakdowns defensively, with Alvaro Odriozola, Isco, and Marcelo all struggling once more.
But we really cannot overreact or make any grand proclamations after a friendly, especially not a team’s first friendly against a team that has already played multiple ones. The difference in conditioning is too great, and that’s not even mentioning that very few starting-caliber players were on the pitch for Los Merengues.
That said, there was one man who may have shown those of us watching that he is a starting-caliber player at a club like Real Madrid, even if any opportunity to start wouldn’t come for another several years.
PSG have been talked up as a team with a multitude of top goalkeepers after signing Euro 2020 hero Gianluigi Donnarumma, but perhaps Real Madrid have another world-class duo budding in Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin.
Andriy Lunin was Real Madrid’s star man against Rangers
Courtois has been arguably the world’s best goalkeeper over the past two years after recovering his form in November 2019. And Lunin joined Real with plenty of promise, tabbed as a future top goalkeeper. He did not get any real chances to shine in 2020-2021, but he certainly seized this opportunity against Rangers.
Lunin faced a hungry Rangers side that created chances from kick-off to the 90th minute. And although he surrendered two goals, Lunin could do nothing on either and prevented a handful more by making some seriously impressive stops.
It’s just one game, yes, but Madridistas could not help but be astonished at Lunin’s reflexes and concentration. He made some stops that were difficult to see amidst the crowd, as he handled close and long-range shots effectively.
The Ukrainian keeper’s talent has never been in question, and he was the clear Man of the Match for Real Madrid in an otherwise dour day. Lunin’s excellence in goal is the only real takeaway Madridistas can make from this first friendly, and now the fans want to see more of Lunin in 2021-2022, if possible.
Courtois is in the “undroppable” tier along with Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos, and Luka Modric. He is already in an echelon with the current Real Madrid legends. But while Lunin’s path to playing time will be tough, his tremendous display at the Ibrox proves that he has earned some opportunities under Carlo Ancelotti. Perhaps he is the next young breakout star at Real, joining the likes of Castilla men Miguel Gutierrez and Antonio Blanco on that breakout radar.