Lunin Omitted from Real Madrid Squad for Inter Milan Match

Real Madrid will start their 2026–27 Champions League campaign against Inter Milan without Andriy Lunin, with the Ukrainian goalkeeper missing from José Mourinho’s squad list.

The club confirmed its roster for the opening group-stage match, and Lunin’s name was nowhere to be seen. The omission is not tactical. The Ukrainian is on the injured list after coming down with the flu and had already skipped first-team training the day before the squad announcement. For now, there is no clear date for his return.

Mourinho will travel with three goalkeepers. Thibaut Courtois remains the undisputed No. 1, backed up by Spaniards Sergio Mestre and Javi Navarro. Neither of Courtois’s deputies has played a single minute this season, so any unexpected setback for the Belgian would throw an untested understudy into the spotlight on one of the biggest stages.

Lunin’s situation adds another layer to his uncertain role at the club. Last season he featured in 12 matches for Real Madrid, conceding 21 goals and recording just one clean sheet. Those numbers hardly eased the pressure on a goalkeeper fighting for trust at one of the most demanding clubs in Europe.

For now, Real Madrid’s Champions League journey begins without him. How long that remains the case depends on how quickly he shakes off the illness—and whether the door is still open when he does.