There are few things more satisfying for a Real Madrid fan than watching the team grind out a result at the Camp Nou — but it turns out the man between the sticks deserves a huge chunk of the credit for last weekend’s Clásico victory, and even his own teammate is saying so publicly.
What Happened
Thibaut Courtois took time after today’s comfortable LaLiga win over Racing Santander to shine a spotlight on backup goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, delivering what might be the quote of the season so far: “Andriy Lunin won us El Clásico!”
The context makes those words hit even harder. Courtois himself had been ruled out of the trip to Barcelona at the last minute due to a sudden illness, thrusting Lunin into the deep end for his first appearance of the 2026/27 campaign — and in arguably the biggest fixture in world club football, no less. The Ukrainian stepped up to the challenge in style, producing a string of saves in what turned out to be a crucial away win. One stop in particular, made when the score was level at 1-1, proved to be a turning point that helped Real Madrid go on and claim all three points.
With Courtois back fit and in goal for today’s match under José Mourinho, Lunin returned to his seat on the bench — but his Clásico cameo has clearly left a lasting impression, not least on the Belgian number one himself.
What It Means for Real Madrid
The story here goes beyond just one match or one save. What it illustrates is the remarkable depth Real Madrid currently carry in the goalkeeper position — a luxury not every club can boast. Having a backup of Lunin’s calibre, a player who can be thrown into a Clásico cold and deliver a performance that earns public praise from the starting keeper, is the kind of squad depth that wins titles.
It also speaks volumes about the culture Mourinho appears to be building in the Madrid dressing room. Courtois didn’t have to say anything. He’s the undisputed number one, back healthy and back in the team. But the fact he made a point of crediting his understudy publicly — in front of the media, post-match — says something about the spirit in that squad. These are the small details that matter when a season stretches into April and May and squads are tested to their limits.
From a purely footballing perspective, Lunin’s Clásico performance will have done wonders for his confidence, even if regular starts remain hard to come by behind one of the best goalkeepers on the planet. For Real Madrid, knowing that the drop-off between first and second choice keeper is minimal is an enormous comfort, particularly given the gruelling schedule that a deep run in LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, and European competition inevitably brings.
What’s Next
For now, attention turns to the continuing LaLiga campaign, with today’s win over Racing Santander adding more points to Madrid’s tally. Courtois will almost certainly continue as first choice between the posts, while Lunin bides his time knowing he’s already delivered when it mattered most this season.
But for Madridistas everywhere, the feel-good story of the week isn’t just the Clásico result — it’s the sight of a squad that clearly has each other’s backs. When your first-choice goalkeeper is publicly telling the press that your backup won the biggest game of the season, you know you’ve got something special in that dressing room. Hala Madrid.
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