By Milcah Tanimu
Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin has been separated from his teammates ahead of the UEFA Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, as he will not be allowed to fly on the same plane due to developing flu symptoms.
Lunin, who has impressed throughout the season as a stand-in for the injured Thibaut Courtois, was expected to start in the final despite Courtois’ availability. However, days before the crucial match on Saturday, June 1, Lunin fell ill with flu.
Due to the contagious nature of the infection, the 25-year-old Ukrainian goalkeeper has been isolated from the main squad during training sessions. Instead, he was spotted training alone on Wednesday, May 29, indicating that his chances of starting in the final are uncertain.
As a precautionary measure, Lunin will travel separately to London for the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium. While he is not completely ruled out of the encounter, Courtois, who recently returned from injury, is likely to be the starting goalkeeper.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged the difficult decision between Lunin and Courtois, stating that both players deserve to play in the final. Ancelotti emphasized Lunin’s fantastic season and Courtois’ quality, making the goalkeeper selection a challenging task for the coaching staff.