The comeback of Andriy Lunin, the goalkeeper who came from the East

Andriy Lunin catches a ball last Sunday against Atlético.AFP7 via Europa Press (AFP7 via Europa Press)

In the fall there was no player in the Madrid squad who started from as low in his position as Andriy Lunin (Krasnograd, Ukraine; 24 years old).

Courtois had been injured in August and the club secured a replacement (Kepa) in 48 hours.

In 10 days, the Basque goalkeeper was already a starter.

And when the former Chelsea player was injured at the beginning of November, Ancelotti announced normally, almost taking it for granted, that he would return to the eleven as soon as he recovered.

The ownership of the Ukrainian was, at that time, something circumstantial in the eyes of the Italian.

From there, from so far back, and after three years of work without earning the trust of the Valdebebas coaches, Lunin came back in the last quarter to take the white goal in the void left without the Belgian.

His performance has surprised the coaching staff, who until this unexpected surge had never seen him as someone with full guarantees for such a delicate position.

The cold and impassive character of this boy from the East had not helped him either.

Until Kepa's injury, he had barely left a trace in the 17 games played with Madrid since that disastrous debut in the

2021

Alcoyanazo Cup, with Zinedine Zidane, who only conceded to him that night.

But three months ago a crack opened and he

slipped in

.

After three consecutive titles - the first time that the Ukrainian or the Basque have achieved it since the rotations were established - in Valdebebas they hope, always with caution, that the following appointments will help them consolidate themselves.

Kepa, however, has had no choice but to appeal to resilience.

While the technicians have been discovering with pleasure Lunin's response, with Ondarroa they have seen one of his weak points: his difficulty in maintaining regularity and security throughout a campaign, especially as soon as the road becomes difficult. twists

On loan until June from Chelsea, the rotation period opened at the beginning of December, in view of the Ukrainian's first good performances, has been weakening him.

The statistic reinforces Lunin's rebound.

He is the third goalkeeper in the League with the best save percentage taking into account all competitions (77.6%), behind Álvaro Vallés (79.8%) and Álex Remiro (78.1%).

Kepa, for his part, is 12th, with 69.5%.

And while he has a figure of seven goals avoided in 15 games, Kepa has zero in 18 games.

Since the clash against Betis, in which Ancelotti announced that there would be alternation, the Ukrainian has made 25 stops in eight games and Kepa, 10 in five.

Despite the insufficient confidence that he managed to convey in the three previous campaigns in Valdebebas, his inexhaustible capacity for work always attracted attention.

Even excessive.

“[Luis] Llopis [goalkeeping coach] stays in shape thanks to Lunin, and not the other way around.

If we return from a game at four in the morning, he warns that he will come to train at 10″, commented a source from the sports city with access to the locker room a year ago, when the Ukrainian was still in the shadows.

Before settling into the first team in 2020 (he was on loan at Leganés –seven games–, Valladolid –two– and Oviedo –20–), more than one goalkeeper coach tried to make him see that quantity is not always quality.

Even some head coaches did not agree with the fact that Lunin went to exercise almost every day and that this affected his assistant's free days.

And it is still remembered how in the weeks before joining Madrid in the summer of 2020, he insisted on training for several days in the garden of his house despite not being conditioned (on a slope and with small stones) or having the appropriate equipment ( The balls were of different brands).

A mentality that many have attributed to its Eastern origin.

In his beginnings in Spain, they also attributed his then-improvable footwork to his origin.

“It was difficult for him to think quickly to find the free man.

He was noticeable in the games we organized in a small field.

But now I see that he has progressed in short and long.

And also in the aerial game,” analyzes one of his first coaches, who always valued his power.

With a contract until 2025, he was able to leave last summer after three seasons with hardly any impact at the Bernabéu, but this unexpressive young man (also in the worst moments of the Russian invasion of Ukraine) has almost caught the last train.

Courtois is expected before the end of the season, although there are no dates or deadlines set.

Ahead, the final stretch, to which Lunin arrives with an advantage over Kepa.

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