24-year-old Real Madrid star will drop to the bench vs Real Betis despite good form | OneFootball

Real Madrid will face a stern test against Real Betis this coming weekend as they look to consolidate their position atop the La Liga standings.

Despite the spate of injuries plaguing the squad, Los Blancos have found a way to ensure that their winning momentum has continued, having racked up five victories in a row.

But, after the win against Granada on Saturday, Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that he will recover Luka Modric for the Real Betis encounter, while Kepa Arrizabalaga already returned to fitness this past weekend.

Andriy Lunin back to the bench

With Kepa returning from injury, MARCA is now reporting that Andriy Lunin will drop back to the bench against Real Betis when Real Madrid face them this weekend.

The 24-year-old Ukrainian international stepped into the starting XI for the game against SC Braga after Kepa injured himself during warm-up.

In the games that followed, Lunin has proven to be more than a reliable option between the sticks, keeping three clean sheets in the last five matches across all competitions, while conceding just three goals.

But, Ancelotti has already made it clear that he sees Kepa as the first-choice keeper among the two in the absence of Thibaut Courtois. As such, Lunin will now drop down to the bench at Estadio Benito Villamarin on Saturday.

Lunin could leave in 2024

Lunin’s contract with Real Madrid is up in 2024 and as things stand, there has been no offer made by the club.

Instead, the coaching staff is angling for the Merengues to sign Kepa on a permanent transfer from Chelsea.

As such, there is a solid possibility that Lunin will be on his way out of the Santiago Bernabeu at the end of the season when his contract expires.