Thibaut Courtois Misses El Clásico with Flu, Hands Real Madrid Major Blow

Thibaut Courtois has been ruled out of Real Madrid's key El Clásico against Barcelona on Sunday, 26 October 2026, due to a flu infection. The last-minute absence of the 34-year-old goalkeeper is a severe blow for manager Jose Mourinho ahead of the Camp Nou fixture.

Real Madrid confirmed the news on Sunday morning, stating Courtois was a "last-minute drop due to a flu process." He has been replaced in the squad by young Ukrainian keeper Illia Voloshyn. With Courtois sidelined, backup Andriy Lunin is set for his first appearance of the season under Mourinho. The Belgian had started all 12 of Madrid's matches across all competitions before this setback. His absence compounds selection issues, with Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy, and Raul Asencio also injured for a trip to face a Barcelona side that has won its first nine league games.

Even before this absence, Courtois's performances have been masking significant defensive problems. His display in the 4-1 Champions League win over RB Leipzig last week was a prime example. He made four first-half saves, including a stunning one-on-one stop against Christopher Nkunku and a powerful drive from Rômulo in the 27th minute, to keep his team in the game before their attack took over. This pattern is familiar. Statistics show Madrid are conceding a high volume of quality chances, making Courtois's interventions fundamental to their results. His current contract is nearing its end, but his consistent excellence has made a renewal one of the club's simpler decisions, with an agreement reportedly close.

In an interview with DAZN, Courtois gave his unequivocal support for teammate Kylian Mbappé to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. "Individually, no player was better than him this year," Courtois stated. He acknowledged the main argument against the French forward is a lack of team trophies this season, a point that strengthens the case for Barcelona's Lamine Yamal. The 18-year-old won the World Cup and La Liga last season. Courtois conceded Yamal's medal haul gives him a strong claim, but maintained Mbappé's individual goal-scoring exploits across La Liga, the Champions League, and the World Cup should be decisive.

• El Clásico Absence: Thibaut Courtois misses the Barcelona match on 26 October 2026 with flu, replaced by Andriy Lunin.
• Defensive Reliance: His recent heroics, like against RB Leipzig, are bailing out a defensively vulnerable Real Madrid side.
• Ballon d'Or Pick: Courtois publicly backs Kylian Mbappé for the award, citing superior individual performance over trophy wins.
• Contract Status: A new deal for the veteran keeper is reportedly near completion as his current terms wind down.