Courtois ruled out of El Clásico with flu‑like illness

Real Madrid announced that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will miss Sunday’s El Clásico against Barcelona after developing flu‑like symptoms. The club confirmed the Belgian’s absence and said 19‑year‑old Ukrainian Illia Voloshyn will take his place. The decision was communicated by the club’s medical staff.

What we know

• Thibaut Courtois is sidelined for the El Clásico
• Reason: flu‑like illness
• Real Madrid will replace him with Illia Voloshyn, 19
• Announcement came from the club

Why it matters: The change could affect the outcome of one of football’s biggest fixtures, which draws a huge Nigerian viewership.

Sources

1. JUST IN: Madrid’s Courtois ruled out of El Clásico with illness – Punch, 25 Oct 2026
2. Courtois Ruled Out Of Real Madrid’s El Clásico Clash Against Barcelona – Naija News, 25 Oct 2026
3. Madrid’s Courtois ruled out of El Clasico with illness – The Eagle Online, 25 Oct 2026

Updates

• 25 Oct, 22:09 WAT – Summary updated with new reporting
• 25 Oct, 18:18 WAT – Story published – 3 outlets

This page groups reports from the outlets above; headlines belong to their publishers. Summary written by our automated desk from multiple reports. How we work.

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