Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was stretchered out of training on Thursday and will undergo surgery after tearing his ACL.
Los Blancos confirmed the news Courtois is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after reports on social media say he left a training session in tears on a stretcher.
“Following tests carried out on our player Thibaut Courtois, he has been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The player will undergo surgery in the coming days,” the official statement from the club read.
With Courtois now expected to miss a significant part of the 2023/24 season, Ancelotti will need to explore his options in goal.
Andriy Lunin is Ancelotti’s only available goalkeeper, just two days before Madrid’s 2023/24 Liga campaign begins. The 24-year-old Ukraine international has limited experience at the highest level, and it could mean Los Blancos enter the transfer market for a replacement No.1.
Currently, the only alternative goalkeeper in his squad is 24-year-old Ukraine international Andriy Lunin. Since joining in the summer of 2018, Lunin has managed just 17 appearances for Madrid, conceding 19 goals and keeping just four clean sheets.