Real Madrid have suffered a major setback ahead of their highly anticipated El Clasico clash against arch-rivals Barcelona. Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been ruled out of the crucial fixture after falling ill with a fever, forcing the Madrid giants to reconsider their plans just hours before kick-off.

In an official statement, Real Madrid confirmed that Courtois had been ruled out shortly before their La Liga Round 10 encounter against Barcelona due to flu-like symptoms. The club also announced that young goalkeeper Ilia Voloshyn had been added to the squad as his replacement.

Courtois has featured in 12 matches across all competitions this season. During that time, the Belgian shot-stopper has conceded 14 goals and managed to keep just two clean sheets.

With Courtois unavailable, Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin is expected to take his place in Real Madrid’s starting line-up against Barcelona. His potential inclusion comes at a crucial moment, with the team preparing for one of the biggest fixtures of the Spanish football season.

Meanwhile, Barcelona head into the encounter at the top of the La Liga standings with 27 points. Real Madrid, by contrast, sit third with 21 points.

Courtois’ last-minute absence represents a significant challenge for Real Madrid ahead of the high-stakes encounter. Attention will now turn to Lunin and whether he can step up between the posts against Barcelona’s attacking threat in the much-anticipated El Clasico.