Carlo Ancelotti ‘enjoys the debate’ around goalkeeper choice for Champions League final – won’t make decision

Real Madrid h manager Carlo Ancelotti has said that he will not make the call on who to start in goal in the Champions League final until the day before the game, with Andriy Lunin having gotten Los Blancos to the game, but Thibaut Courtois having returned from injury.

In recent weeks Ancelotti has noted that Lunin ‘is having a great season’, but that Courtois ‘is the best goalkeeper in the world.’ The Belgian has come back from an anterior cruciate ligament injury and then a meniscus problem, and has been back in goal for five of the last six games.

“Both deserve to play in the final. Lunin has done spectacularly and Courtois, we all know his quality. I think I’m going to make the decision before the game. One will play and the other will be on the bench. That’s for sure.”

In the other game, it was Lunin that was in goal, and rather unfortunately, conceded four times, while Courtois is yet to pick the ball out of the net in five appearances. Ancelotti was asked in both Spanish and English about his plans, and

“They both deserve to play for many reasons. Lunin has had a great season. Today he has a fever, but he will recover in time for Saturday. And now the best goalkeeper in the world arrives. I love listening to the debate. As I don’t have anything else to do this week, I will listen to it. I like the debate and if you I say whoever plays, the debate is finished,” Ancelotti said with a grin on his face.

All reports coming out of the Spanish capital are that Courtois will be given the nod over Lunin, and leaving him out would be a major call for Ancelotti, albeit few would chastise him allowing Lunin to finish what he started – at least before the game. If Courtois does start, it will be his first appearance in Europe this season, and the first time since the Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City.

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