Kepa is expected to start against Atletico Madrid

Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, is known for being a man of his word. Before the Christmas break, he stated that he would be choosing his starting goalkeeper for the remainder of the season in January. However, upon his return from the Christmas holidays, it appears that the Italian manager has had a change of heart. He has rotated the two shot-stoppers in the two games played in 2024.

According to reports by Sergio Santos, Kepa Arrizabalaga now has an advantage over Andriy Lunin for the coveted spot between the sticks. This is primarily due to the fact that the coaching staff has consistently shown more confidence in the Basque ‘keeper than in the Ukrainian.

The debate over who should be the team’s number one goalkeeper has been ongoing for quite some time now. Thibaut Courtois, the club’s number one, saw an injury earlier in the season, which led to the signing of the Spaniard to help Lunin cover the absence of the Belgian.

It’s worth noting that the manager’s decision to go with Kepa over Lunin is not a permanent one. The Italian manager confirmed this during the press conference before the cup game against Arandina CF.

Ancelotti said, “The goalkeeper who plays in the Super Cup is not the starting goalkeeper. They are both doing very well, and we will go game by game.”

This situation is not new to the Ukrainian, who has found himself in a similar position throughout his Los Blancos career.

It remains to be seen how this decision will impact the performance of both goalkeepers, but one thing is for sure, the Italian has made his choice with a clear head, and both players will need to be at the top of their game if they want to secure a starting spot.