Real Madrid have suffered a major setback ahead of their El Clasico clash against Barcelona after goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was ruled out of Sunday’s La Liga encounter due to illness.

The Belgian goalkeeper has contracted the flu and will miss the Matchday 10 fixture at Camp Nou, forcing Madrid to turn to Ukrainian shot-stopper Andriy Lunin.

The development comes at a crucial time for Real Madrid, who trail Barcelona by six points in the La Liga standings and need a positive result to strengthen their title challenge.

Real Madrid confirmed Courtois’ late withdrawal in a statement released hours before kick-off.

“Courtois is a last-minute withdrawal from tonight’s LaLiga matchday 10 game between Real Madrid and Barcelona due to a bout of the flu,” the club said.

“Illia Voloshyn has been called up to the squad in his place.”

Courtois’ absence represents a significant blow for Madrid, given his importance to the team and his recent performances.

The 34-year-old was in action during Madrid’s recent Champions League outing, in which the club reportedly secured a 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig.

His late withdrawal leaves Lunin with the responsibility of guarding Madrid’s goal in one of the most important fixtures of the season.

Lunin is expected to start in goal in place of Courtois as Madrid prepare to face their fierce rivals.

The 27-year-old has served as Courtois’ deputy in recent seasons and gained valuable experience during Madrid’s run to the Champions League final in 2024.

He will now face a major test against a Barcelona side that has enjoyed an impressive start to the domestic campaign.

Barcelona head into the encounter looking to maintain their strong league form, while Madrid will be eager to close the gap at the top of the standings.

Madrid’s preparations have been further complicated by the absence of forward Vinícius Júnior, who remains unavailable as he serves a four-match domestic suspension.

The Brazilian’s absence deprives Madrid of an important attacking option for the high-profile encounter.

Madrid have also suffered two league defeats this season, against Real Betis and Atletico Madrid, increasing the pressure on the team to secure a result against Barcelona.

With Courtois ruled out at the last minute and Vinícius unavailable, Madrid face a difficult challenge as they seek to reduce Barcelona’s six-point advantage in the La Liga title race.