“Lunin has enough quality to compete with Courtois. He is possibly the best young goalkeeper in Europe, the one with the most projection, that is why he is with us. I think he will be at Madrid for many years,” he confessed. Andriy Shevchenko in 2020, when he was the Ukrainian coach, about the future and present of the white goalkeeper. At that time, Lunin was 21 years old –seven less than Courtois– y a lot of room to continue learning to try to pick up the baton the day he had to do it… one that has come into his hands after the Belgian goalkeeper’s double injury four years later.
This was Lunin’s stellar performance against Leizpig
And the arrival of the Ukrainian goalkeeper was the continuation of the project established by Real Madrid for a long time and where the future is fundamental. The white club was one of the first powers in Europe to opt for this tactic: acquire young talents to avoid large later disbursements. The scouting network, which is key in all operations, was the one that advised the signing of the goalkeeper in 2019, when Lunin was only 19 and measured 1.91, coming from the Zorya Luhansk after disbursing 8.5 million plus four in variables then win the bid against teams like Liverpool or Roma.
A project that started in 2019
So things are, Time, perhaps more than expected, has ended up proving the Chamartín team right.… after being called up at the most difficult moment after being ‘almost’ exiled. Not because he was not working in the shadows as necessary to turn the situation around, but because he had the best goalkeeper in the world in front of him. Lunin and Courtois will live together to perfection. The starter and veteran teaching the young and substitute for the future…but the veteran, with each passing year, was performing at a higher level the previous. Real Madrid got used to Courtois’ saving saves and winning character, and There was no coach in the world who had not given all the competitions to the Belgian.
Ancelotti confirms the cover of MARCA: “Lunin plays against Mallorca”
Lunin understood his place, did not make noise and took advantage of his opportunity perfectly. Quiet and in the shadows, but hoping to achieve a goal he set for himself in 2019. He was aware of the difficulty of the task he agreed to carry out at the age of 19.…but in his head he knew that with work and seriousness he could achieve it. And so it was, although now we only talk about Courtois’ injuries… The reality is that he has been able to overtake Kepa as the starter in Real Madrid’s goal..
From having nothing… to having everything
And Lunin’s life has completely turned upside down, from having nothing… to having everything. A claim that has helped him become the starting goalkeeper of Real Madrid and the Ukrainian national team, a goal that he has not stepped on since September 2022. In the white clubo, Lunin’s performances have been key to making the team the team with the fewest goals scored in LaLiga (20 goals received in 29 days) thanks to a brilliant save percentage.
The Ukrainian goalkeeper He has conceded 19 goals in the 23 games he has played (0.83 per game) and has kept a clean sheet in 10 of those games.. Only behind David Gil (who has only played four games for Cádiz) in the percentage of saves in the championship (76,6%). Some numbers that have led him to regain the goal of his national team. Another award for a goalkeeper who has not yet renewed with Real Madrid, a decision postponed until summer… but finishing the season as a starter could be key.
He reappeared with Ukraine in the victory over Bosnia in the play-off semi-final match to be in the Euro Cup and he started again against Iceland to get the last ticket for Euro 2024. Along the way he had missed his team’s last 9 games (6 substitutions and 3 not called up). 180 minutes that serve to recharge the batteries of confidence and security to face the decisive stage with Real Madrid in the best possible conditions. Meanwhile, citing data from Transfer marketLunin has reached a better price in the transfer market… to double its value after reaching 16 million euros.
