Ancelotti Has Already Chosen Goalkeeper for Copa del Rey Final, There's a Surprise

One of the major doubts Real Madrid has ahead of the Copa del Rey final is the goalkeeping position. The Madrid coaching staff, in addition to Fran González, faces the competition of two goalkeepers to be part of the line-up in the Clásico at La Cartuja next Saturday, April 26. Both Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin have made enough merits to occupy that spot.

However, only one of these two European goalkeepers is chosen by Carlo Ancelotti. According to the information published by "Relevo", the Reggiolo coach has already decided that Thibaut Courtois will be the starting goalkeeper against FC Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final. This decision is truly surprising given what has happened this season.

Especially becausethe Italian strategist seemed to have reserved all the matches of the so-called 'knockout tournament' for Andriy Lunin. That determination, however, would have been broken by the injury recently suffered by the Ukrainian goalkeeper in the calf, right after the second leg against Real Sociedad. That Copa del Rey match at Santiago Bernabéu would be his last participation this season.

Journalist "Rodra" makes it clear that Thibaut Courtois will take charge of defending the goal against FC Barcelona at the Seville stadium of La Cartuja on April 26. Carlo Ancelotti's decision is irreversible and repeats a pattern that already occurred last season, only in a completely different competition.

The History Repeats

Because Andriy Lunin is one of the heroes of winning the Fifteenth. Given Thibaut Courtois's serious injury, the Ukrainian '13' took charge of the Madrid goal in the top continental competition after winning the debate against Kepa. His excellent saves, especially in that penalty shootout against Manchester City, established him as a better goalkeeper than many expected.

The euphoria surrounding Andriy Lunin made it seem he would play the Wembley final against Borussia Dortmund, but Thibaut Courtois recovered in time to play that match... and Lunin had to settle for watching the final from the Madrid bench in London. The injury he has now experienced in the calf is the 'perfect excuse' for Carlo Ancelotti.

The Reggiolo coach seems to trust Thibaut Courtois blindly. While it is true that he left the question open in his last press conference, assuring that all three first-team goalkeepers had chances... this information from "Relevo" definitively ends the debate with three days left for the Copa del Rey final.

This way, Real Madrid solves one of the last pending questions for a match of crucial importance in more than one sense. Not only because the possibility of winning a title is at stake after the bad feelings from the elimination against Arsenal. Carlo Ancelotti also puts his continuity as Real Madrid's coach on the line, at least until the end of the current league campaign.