Andriy Lunin’s resilience keeps him at the heart of Real Madrid’s plans

Andriy Lunin will return to the Real Madrid bench against Racing de Santander despite playing a decisive role in the club’s victory over Barcelona in the latest clasico.

The Ukraine international was one of the outstanding performers in that match, but his opportunity came in the absence of Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian remains Real Madrid’s first choice and is regarded by the club as the best goalkeeper in the world, perhaps even one of the greatest in football history.

Lunin’s display against Barcelona, reported by Spanish newspaper AS, included six saves. His most notable intervention came when he turned away a header from Gerard Martin, while his composure and experience were evident throughout the game.

His contribution was no isolated performance. Lunin has won four of the five clasicos in which he has played, underlining the influence he can have despite spending much of his time as Courtois’ understudy.

Barcelona play Deportivo Alaves in La Liga on 31 October 2026, before Racing de Santander face Real Madrid in La Liga on 01 November 2026.

A reserve goalkeeper making such an impact whenever selected is unusual, but Lunin has developed beyond that familiar role. His confidence and firm belief in his own ability have helped him establish a strong standing within the Real Madrid dressing room.

Lunin does not regard himself as inferior to Courtois, nor does he allow his limited opportunities to undermine his belief. That attitude is reflected in his approach away from matches. He follows the war in Ukraine closely, while his reserved nature has increasingly been balanced by a sense of humour influenced by life in Spain.

He is also regarded as one of the club’s most committed workers. His enthusiasm for training is such that people close to him sometimes tell him to take a break. Lunin regularly requests video analysis of his performances and follows individual training programmes at home.

His work can even extend into his garden, where he recreates match situations and asks family members and friends to act as opponents so he can refine his game.

On the technical side, Lunin developed a relationship built on complete trust with Luis Llopis, who coached Real Madrid’s goalkeepers until the current season. He has also formed a positive relationship with Nuno Santos, the coach brought in by Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho’s embrace of Lunin after the goalkeeper’s team-mates lifted him up following the Barcelona match showed the regard in which he is held inside the squad.

Lunin’s future has not always appeared certain. He came close to leaving Real Madrid in the summers of 2024 and 2025 and was open to starting a new chapter, but the offers he received were not attractive enough.

Those around him sometimes urged him to seek a club where he would play more regularly. Instead, he chose to remain in Madrid, valuing the status he had earned at the Valdebebas training complex.

His agent, Jorge Mendes, also encouraged patience. Offers passed to Real Madrid’s senior figures were rejected, and Mendes reassured Lunin while advising him to continue with the club.

Real Madrid have consistently valued him as the best replacement for Courtois. The Belgian’s serious injury during the 2023-2024 season gave Lunin the chance to demonstrate his ability, and he played a key part in the club winning La Liga and the Champions League.

His contract extension until 2030 therefore represented more than an administrative decision. It reflected mutual trust: Lunin remains convinced of his ability, while Real Madrid continue to believe in his value.