Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois
Real Madrid have been handed a worrying injury setback ahead of their Champions League clash, with Thibaut Courtois now expected to miss the tie against Bayern Munich.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Belgian goalkeeper is dealing with a muscle problem that could keep him out for a few weeks.
That timeline more or less rules him out of the Bayern game.
It’s not the first time Madrid have had to cope without him, and they know how tricky that can get.
When Courtois was out earlier in the season with a knee issue, the team had to shuffle things around at the back.
Results didn’t fall apart, but there were moments where they clearly missed his presence.
Courtois is usually right in the middle of the conversation when it comes to big games, and for good reason.
He has a habit of stepping up on nights like this, pulling off saves that can change the direction of a tie.
So this one stings a bit more.
Bayern is already a tough fixture on its own, and going into it without your first-choice keeper just adds another layer of pressure
Madrid will have to lean on whoever steps in and hope they can get through it. But it’s far from ideal, especially for a game of this size.
