Thibaut Courtois to miss Barcelona v Real Madrid LaLiga clash after contracting flu

Thibaut Courtois will miss Real Madrid’s trip to the Spotify Camp Nou for the LaLiga 2026-27 tenth matchweek after being ruled out with the flu, a report published on 25 October 2026 said. The 34-year-old goalkeeper will not be part of the Barcelona v Real Madrid fixture.

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona have won all nine of their opening LaLiga matches this season and are described in the report as being in a phenomenal run of form since the campaign began. In their last seven El Clásicos, Barcelona have won six and lost once to Real Madrid, and the article notes that playing at home will be an advantage for the Blaugrana.

The report adds that Los Blancos have managed only one win in the last seven El Clásicos, and that Jose Mourinho will be without his first-choice goalkeeper for this fixture. Courtois’s absence is attributed specifically to the flu, and the piece states that his unavailability will put pressure on Real Madrid.

Illia Voloshyn, described as a young Ukrainian goalkeeper, has been added to the squad as Courtois’s replacement. Andriy Lunin is identified as acting first-choice goalkeeper for the match; the report says he does not have a strong El Clásico record but is capable of guarding the goal under pressure and "will have a lot to prove."

The fixture remains the LaLiga 2026-27 tenth matchweek meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou, with Real Madrid travelling without their regular starter in goal due to Courtois’s flu-related absence.