It’s Andriy Lunin’s time to shine for Real Madrid
As a backup goalkeeper for one of the biggest teams on the planet, you sit patiently and train hard as you prepare for the manager to one day tell you that you will be starting in goal during the upcoming match. For Andriy Lunin, that game was expected to be in midweek when Real Madrid take on Alcoyano in the Copa del Rey.
Instead, it seems like he’ll be making his first appearance of the season on Sunday night after it was confirmed that Thibaut Courtois along with Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga tested positive for Covid-19.
Of course, no one would hope that a player misses a game especially through injury or illness but nonetheless, this is a golden opportunity for Lunin to show that he truly has what it takes to step up when required.
No one (including him) is expecting Courtois to be permanently replaced in the starting lineup but if Lunin can show that he is able to step up and come up big for the team, then he will definitely be playing a little more often with Ancelotti trusting him more. The only appearance he had last season was when Los Blancos took on Alcoyano in the Copa del Rey and it ended with a shock loss to the visitors, which was also his debut.
Andriy Lunin can earn Carlo Ancelotti’s trust with a big game
Lunin hasn’t yet had the opportunity to have the moment that is spoken about by Madridistas to start making them pay attention to him. To have that big moment such as a massive save or a game-winning stop would put extra eyes on him and help with his confidence. There is no doubt that the 22-year-old goalkeeper has experience and talent backing him up but he needs to play more often and that’s difficult for a backup goalkeeper, especially at a team like Real Madrid.
He needs to show that he can be trusted and the La Liga game against Getafe could be his moment to make his mark on the team. He’s good enough to play but that’s different to whether or not he is ready and fit enough to take part in the team. It’s worth remembering that he also tested positive for Covid-19 and recently returned to the team.
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Andriy Lunin joined Real Madrid in 2018 from Zorya Luhansk to become the first Ukrainian to play for the club. Since his arrival, he has spent time at Leganes, Real Valladolid, and Real Oviedo on loan but has been part of the Real Madrid squad last season and this season as he waits for his golden opportunity to show that he deserves to be in this team. He made a name for himself in the FIFA Under 20 World Cup where Ukraine were crowned champions in 2019 and Lunin was awarded the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
This will be a night to remember for Andriy Lunin as he makes his first La Liga appearance for Real Madrid and will want to take this chance with both hands. The fans already have love and respect for the Ukrainian goalkeeper but it will definitely only improve if he comes out with a strong performance against Getafe then again when the team takes on Alcoyano in midweek.