For Real Madrid, everything so far this season has been perfect, and it also makes fans feel that happiness has come too suddenly. At the beginning of the season, Courtois, Alaba, Militão and other core players suffered serious injuries one after another, coupled with the unexpected departure of core players such as Benzema, Real Madrid was in mourning and was generally looked down upon by the outside world.
However, Real Madrid's "celebrity chef" Ancelotti calmly commanded this team full of injuries, won the La Liga championship in 4 rounds in advance, and the Champions League knockout round successively defeated RB Leipzig, defending champion Manchester City, and Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich, and entered the Champions League final for the second time in three years, competing with Hornets Dortmund for the final title. However, Ancelotti, who has played the world's No. 1 handsome temperament this season, is also facing troubles, with the return of the main goalkeeper Courtois, who should be the starting goalkeeper in the Champions League final?
Lu Ning may not start the Champions League final
If it was before this season, I believe it was not a choice question in the first place. Since joining Real Madrid from Chelsea for €35 million in August 2018, Courtois has been the team's undisputed goalkeeper and has been in excellent form. In the knockout stage of the 2021-2022 Champions League, Courtois has a supernatural performance whether he is facing Manchester City or Liverpool in the final, contributing 8 saves in a single game in 3 Champions League knockout games, and is one of the top contributors to Real Madrid's victory.
Especially in the 2021-2022 Champions League final, Courtois made 9 saves in the face of Liverpool's 23 shots on goal, allowing Salah and others to return again and again, and was indisputably named the best player of the match after the game. However, Thibaut Courtois has suffered a torn cruciate ligament and a torn meniscus this season, with Lunin and Chelsea loan Kepa Arrizabalaga on hand to help Real Madrid through the storm time and time again. The 25-year-old Ukrainian Lunin seized the opportunity to perform better and better in the knockout round of the Champions League, becoming a major contributor to Real Madrid's promotion to the Champions League final.
Especially in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City, in the face of the defending champion Manchester City's 33 shots, he made 8 saves, 7 clearances, defused 9 threats, saved De Bruyne and Grealish 4 inevitable goals, and saved two penalties in the penalty shootout, so that Guardiola's hopes of defending the Champions League title were completely shattered. In the two games against Bayern in the semi-finals, Lunin's performance was not inferior to the opponent's world-class goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
However, Courtois's comeback has made the race for Real Madrid's starting goalkeeper in the Champions League final revital. Thibaut Courtois played his first game of the season against Real Madrid against Cadiz and showed good form with a must-win one-on-one slay. According to The Athletic, multiple sources within Real Madrid have revealed that Courtois is more likely to start in the Champions League final.
The Real Madrid coaching staff believe that despite the impressive progress of Lunin this season, they still believe Courtois is the best goalkeeper in the world and if Courtois is in good shape, the team will trust him in the Wembley final against Borussia Dortmund. There's no doubt Carlo Ancelotti is facing happy troubles, with two great goalkeepers that all managers dream of, but it would be cruel and unfair to the young goalkeeper if Lunin was not given a start in the Champions League final.
Real Madrid picked up Bayern's defenders at a low price
The departure of Bayern wide superstar Alphonso Davies has once again become the focus of attention. In the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, he almost helped Bayern Munich progress to the Champions League final with a world-class wave against Toni Rudiger in the second half. Alphonso Davies, a 23-year-old left-back, joined Bayern Munich in January 2019 for a transfer fee of €14 million and quickly became Bayern's main left-back. He has made 193 appearances for Bayern Munich to date, scoring 10 goals and providing 30 assists.
Alphonso Davies has an innate advantage in speed, and his speed and explosiveness allow him to easily transition between defending and attacking on the court. However, despite his speed on the court, off the court, he has a low-key personality and rarely stands out, winning the love of his teammates. On the German website Transfermarkt, he is already worth 70 million euros, making him one of the most expensive left-backs in the world.
Alfon Davies' contract with Bayern will expire in June 2025, and Bayern have always wanted to renew him, but the two sides have never been able to agree on an annual salary, and the renewal has reached an impasse. Alphonso Davies himself has already made the transfer decision and is eager to play for Real Madrid next season. According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid's attitude towards Alphonso Davies is still very clear, they are waiting for Davies to respond to Bayern's contract extension, and they are determined not to pay a transfer fee of 60 million to 70 million euros for a player with one year left on his contract, and are only willing to make an offer of 30 million euros.
Now it is a dilemma for Bayern, Real Madrid insist on a fair offer this summer, otherwise they will wait until 2025 to get a visa, and Bayern will face the embarrassment of running out of money if they are determined not to lower their asking price. And Frenchman Ferran Mendy has been in excellent form this season and Carlo Ancelotti is reluctant to sell him, so Real Madrid's interest in Alphonso Davies is not as strong as it has been in the past. Bayern are likely to choose to have to sell Alphonso Davies at a very low price when there is no hope of renewing his contract.