Real Madrid receives extremely bad news immediately after reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.

Thibaut Courtois sustained an injury in the game against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, held early on March 18 (Vietnam time).

Real Madrid continues to be plagued by injury misfortune as injuries occur repeatedly, and the clash with Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals was no exception. During the match at the Etihad, Courtois had to leave the field immediately after the halftime break due to signs of muscle overload.At least, that was the initial assessment from the club, after the Belgian goalkeeper could not continue playing in the second half and Andriy Lunin was brought onto the pitch, where he had shone in 2024.

With Courtois absent, Real Madrid now has up to eight players unavailable. The team's first-choice goalkeeper left the field showing signs of pain, and initial examinations indicated a problem with his right thigh adductor muscle. When the team returns to Spain, Courtois will undergo further detailed tests to determine the exact extent of the injury, a significant loss for coach Arbeloa.

For now, Real Madrid has no additional goalkeeper available for this match against Manchester City; Fran Gonzalez is not on the registered list, and this directly impacts the team's plans without the services of their number one "guardian."

Courtois's injury extends Real Madrid's list of injured players. Previously, players still in recovery include Eder Militao, Raul Asencio, Ferland Mendy, Alvaro Carreras, Dani Ceballos, Rodrygo Goes, Jude Bellingham, and David Alaba. Among them, Bellingham and Alaba traveled with the team to Manchester, but coach Arbeloa confirmed both would not play. The English midfielder could return in the derby against Atletico Madrid this weekend.

Notably, this is already Real Madrid's second injury within just one week following the series of matches against Manchester City. Previously, Ferland Mendy encountered an issue with his right posterior thigh muscle, a familiar recurring muscle injury.

Courtois's absence is undoubtedly a major concern for Real Madrid, especially as they prepare to enter the next round of the Champions League against Bayern Munich, as well as the crucial final phase of La Liga.