Real Madrid veteran needs a ‘miracle’ to be ready for CL quarterfinal second leg vs Bayern Munich

Madrid, Spain – Real Madrid’s hopes of having first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois available for the decisive leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich now hinge on what sources close to the club describe as “a miracle.”

The 33-year-old Belgian sustained a muscle injury during the second-half of the Round-of-16 return match against Manchester City on 4 March and was replaced by Andriy Lunin at the interval. Medical staff initially projected a six-week lay-off; with only ten days of that window elapsed, Courtois is not expected to return before late April.

That timeline rules him out of the first-leg duel with Bayern Munich at the Bernabéu and the subsequent La Liga encounter with Girona. More problematically, it leaves the former Chelsea keeper only four weeks into his rehabilitation when the return leg kicks off on 15 April at the Allianz Arena.

ESPN’s Rodra reported on Thursday that, barring an unforeseen acceleration in recovery, Courtois will miss the trip to Germany, leaving Lunin to deputise once again. The Ukrainian international, who already stood in against Atlético Madrid before the international break, is slated to start versus Mallorca next weekend and will carry the gloves for the remainder of the quarter-final barring a dramatic change.

While Lunin has previous Champions League experience, Madrid’s hierarchy had been counting on Courtois’ presence for the season’s defining stretch. Club sources say no risks will be taken with the veteran’s fitness, meaning the squad must plan without him unless his body responds well ahead of schedule.

For now, the message emanating from the Spanish capital is clear: only a medical miracle will see Thibaut Courtois back between the posts in Munich.