After two separate knee injuries over the last eight months, Thibaut Courtois is now finally ready to make his return to action for Real Madrid. The 31-year-old tore his ACL back in August, before breaking down in his other knee in March, but now he has fully recovered.
Courtois has been training with his teammates over the last week or so, and Carlo Ancelotti has now decided that he is ready for action. As such, he has included him in his squad for Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg showdown against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. The Belgian stopper is alongside Andriy Lunin and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
It’s a massive moment for Courtois, and one that will delight a lot of Real Madrid supporters. Lunin will start in Bavaria on Tuesday, but he could be displaced for the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Diario AS reporting that Courtois is aiming to start in the crucial fixture.
Dani Carvajal and David Alaba are also “included”, although neither will play. The former is suspended for the first leg, with Alaba still recovering from an ACL tear in December.
Courtois’ return does leave Ancelotti with a selection headache. Lunin has been very good this season, although he has a wobble in the last couple of weeks, with mistakes against Manchester City and Barcelona. It could mean that he is no longer assured in Real Madrid’s line-up for their remaining Champions League fixtures.