Real Madrid’s teenage goalkeeping sensation could make his first-team debut this weekend | OneFootball

Real Madrid were dealt a serious blow in their plans for the weekend clash against Valencia in the form of Andriy Lunin’s unexpected injury earlier today.

The Ukrainian star, who started Los Blancos’ last two games across competitions after Thibaut Courtois’ fitness blow, suffered muscular discomfort in the final stages of the team’s win over Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey earlier this week.

He appears to have injured his soleus muscle and could well be unavailable to take on Valencia this weekend at the Santiago Bernabeu although a decision over his participation will only be taken tomorrow.

The backup plan

Andriy Lunin may be unavailable this weekend. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The situation Carlo Ancelotti finds himself in with both Courtois and Lunin injured is close to unprecedented and far from ideal. Luckily for the manager, however, the squad still has a talented player who can start between the sticks.

Indeed, the player in question is the young Fran Gonzalez who has, for long, been seen as a possible heir to Courtois’ throne in the long run.

As confirmed by Jorge C Picon in a report earlier today, Gonzalez’s debut for the first team against Valencia is a real possibility if Lunin does not recover in time.

More importantly, the management do not see him as an inferior option in any way and retain complete confidence in his ability to step up and save Real Madrid from the dire situation they find themselves in.

At just 19 years of age, the youngster has been in the dynamics of the first team for close to a year now. A debut, needless to say, is long pending given how highly he is rated both in the club offices and outside.

The teenager’s most recent performance came for Real Madrid Castilla only last weekend when he pulled off seven saves including five from inside the box in the team’s clash against Yeclano.