Real Madrid will soon compete in the Champions League final in London, England. Carlo Ancelotti's side have been tipped as favourites to win the spectacle, not only because of their immense success in the competition but also because of their incredible form this season. They are on the precipice of winning a treble, so they hope things will run smoothly for them.
However, the Italian boss has been hit with a sudden complication. In the buildup to the match, it appeared there would only be two concerns - David Alaba, who he knew would be ruled out for a long time and Aurelien Tchouameni, who was always a race against time anyway. However, one more player has been added to that list.
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Real Madrid star set to miss the Champions League through late illness
As per a report from Metro, Andriy Lunin has seemingly confirmed that he is ruled out of the Champions League final on Saturday evening.
In a post which the Ukraine goalkeeper published to social media, Lunin said: "I’m so sorry that I can’t prepare for the most important game of the season and the most important in my life together with the team…Thank you so much for all your messages, support and encouragement!!! Here’s to the 15th."
It is unfortunate that Andriy Lunin is ruled out of contention. After all, the backup goalkeeper stepped up to the mark in the absence of Thibaut Courtois earlier in the campaign. In many ways, Lunin has been key to Real reaching the final, with some impressive performances throughout his surprisingly long tenure between the sticks.
However, we must be frank and say that Lunin probably wouldn't have started anyway. In a match like this, Thibaut Courtois was always tipped to start the match. The Belgian keeper has plenty of experience, which Carlo Ancelotti is bound to favour more heavily in a match as big and monumental as the UEFA Champions League final.
So, to confirm, David Alaba, Aurelien Tchouameni and now Andriy Lunin are ruled out of contention for the final against Borussia Dortmund. However, other than the three absentees, Carlo Ancelotti has a full strength squad to play around with.
Wishing Andriy Lunin a speedy recovery and it was the right call for Lunin not to prepare with the squad, through the risk of contaminating others.
What id your score prediction for the 2024 Champions League final?