Ancelotti confident Courtois will face Arsenal, Valencia comes too soon

Thibaut Courtois volition beryllium acceptable for Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash against Arsenal adjacent week, but won’t play successful LaLiga this weekend.

That was the update provided by Madrid brag Carlo Ancelotti up of welcoming Valencia to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu this Saturday.

Courtois has battled respective injuries passim the campaign, but has missed the past 2 matches for Los Blancos, with Andriy Lunin deputising successful betwixt the sticks.

The Belgium planetary has kept 8 cleanable sheets successful LaLiga this season, a full lone bettered by Real Sociedad’s Alex Remiro and Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak (both 12).

And portion this weekend’s clash against 15th-placed Valencia comes excessively soon for Courtois, Ancelotti is assured his goalkeeper volition beryllium acceptable to look Mikel Arteta’s side.

“There’s nary concern. Courtois is overmuch better, we judge helium tin marque it to Tuesday,” Ancelotti told reporters connected Friday.

Ahead of facing Arsenal, Madrid were besides boosted by the quality that Kylian Mbappe and Antonio Rudiger would beryllium disposable for the travel to the Emirates Stadium connected Tuesday.

The brace were handed one-match bans, suspended for a year, and fined pursuing their celebrations aft knocking Atletico retired of the Champions League connected penalties.

Madrid’s players celebrated successful beforehand of the Atletico fans, making gestures towards them that were captured by video footage. Dani Ceballos and Vinicius Junior were besides fined.

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But returning to preview their upcoming LaLiga clash, Ancelotti said that Lunin could besides beryllium absent from the fixture, having sustained a calf musculus teardrop successful midweek.

With some Courtois and Lunin sidelined, it is apt that 19-year-old Fran Gonzalez, who is yet to marque a first-team quality for Madrid, volition beryllium successful extremity against Valencia.

“We person a uncertainty astir Lunin, who volition beryllium tested today,” Ancelotti added.

“He (Gonzalez) is simply a large goalkeeper; his lone occupation is that he’s young,” Ancelotti said.

“If his clip comes tomorrow, we’ll beryllium precise blessed for him, due to the fact that we’re each convinced helium has a large future. No worries connected our part,” Ancelotti said.

Real are inactive successful contention for a treble, trailing LaLiga leaders Barcelona by 3 points and acceptable to look them successful the Copa del Rey last astatine the extremity of the month.

“We’re doing well. Obviously, with immoderate doubts owed to the effort of other clip (against Real Sociedad). But the squad is motivated,” Ancelotti said.

“We person to beryllium optimistic and judge we tin bash it. We’re precise adjacent successful each competition, and we’re confident.”