Thibaut Courtois has been named in goal for Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund in tonight’s Champions League final.
The Belgian shot-stopper has only played four times this season after recovering from a serious knee injury, but will get the chance to repeat his heroics from the 2022 final when Los Blancos go for a 15th European crown at Wembley.
Regular stand-in Andriy Lunin missed Real’s flight to London on Thursday having suffered with flu all week. Instead, he joined the squad later before being named among the substitutes despite performing well in Courtois’ absence.
Ancelotti said on Friday: “Lunin has had the flu. He's going to travel. He is going to be on the bench of course and yes Thibaut Courtois is going to be in goal tomorrow.”
David Alaba will miss out again due to the injury he picked up in December and club captain Nacho Fernandez partners Antonio Rudiger in central defence, with Eder Militao not considered fully up to speed following his own lay-off for much of the campaign.
In midfield, Eduardo Camavinga beats Luka Modric to appearing alongside Fede Valverde and the retiring Toni Kroos. Aurelien Tchouameni has been ruled out with a foot injury. Both Alaba and Tchouameni have been named on the bench by Real because they are registered as part of the squad, but are not available to play.
Jude Bellingham will take up his position in behind Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo up front.
Dortmund’s main concern was whether Sebastien Haller will make the squad having battled an ankle issue, and he has been named on the bench. Both Julien Duranville and Ramy Bensebaini are unavailable.
Marco Reus has to settle for a place on the bench in his final outing for Borussia, with Edin Terzic sticking with the line-up that beat Paris Saint-Germain in the last round.
Julian Brandt and Jadon Sancho’s places in the attack are set with Karim Adeyemi edging Donyell Malen on the left flank.
Two loanees, Ian Maatsen of Chelsea and Manchester United’s Sancho, will hope to make a big impact with Niclas Fullkrug leading the line.
Borussia Dortmund XI: Kobel; Ryerson, Schlotterbeck, Hummels, Maatsen; Sabitzer, Can; Sancho, Brandt, Adeyemi; Fullkrug
Subs: Meyer, Lotka, Ozcan, Nmecha, Haller, Reus, Wolf, Moukoko, Malen, Sule, Watjen, Bynoe-Gittens
Injuries: Bensebaini, Duranville
Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Carvajal, Nacho, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Kroos; Bellingham; Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo
Subs: Lunin, Kepa, Militao, Alaba, Modric, Tchouameni, Vazquez, Joselu, Garcia, Ceballos, Diaz, Guler
Injuries: Alaba, Tchouameni
Time and date: 8pm BST on Saturday, June 1, 2024
Venue: Wembley Stadium
TV channel: TNT Sports
