Real Madrid suffered a major late blow ahead of El Clasico as Thibaut Courtois was ruled out of the match due to flu. Andriy Lunin has replaced the Belgian goalkeeper in the starting XI, while young goalkeeper Illia Voloshyn was added to the squad as his replacement.

Real Madrid confirmed that Courtois would miss the La Liga clash with Barcelona because of the flu. His absence means Lunin will take responsibility between the posts in one of the biggest matches of the season.

The absence of Courtois comes after Vinicius Junior was already ruled out through suspension, making the late goalkeeper setback another major concern for Real Madrid.

Barcelona, meanwhile, have named a strong starting XI for the first El Clasico of the 2026–27 La Liga season. Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Anthony Gordon lead the attack, while Pedri, Rodri and Fermin Lopez start in midfield.

Barcelona Starting XI

Goalkeeper: Joan Garcia

Defenders: Xavi Espart, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Joao Cancelo

Midfielders: Pedri, Rodri, Fermin Lopez

Forwards: Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Anthony Gordon

Real Madrid Starting XI

Goalkeeper: Andriy Lunin

Defenders: Federico Valverde, Ibrahima Konate, Dean Huijsen, Marc Cucurella

Midfielders: Aurelien Tchouameni, Bernardo Silva, Jude Bellingham

Forwards: Yan Diomande, Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe

Real Madrid have selected an attacking lineup, with Kylian Mbappe leading the front line. Arda Guler and Yan Diomande provide width, while Jude Bellingham operates in an advanced midfield role. Bernardo Silva and Aurelien Tchouameni complete the midfield setup. Federico Valverde has been deployed at right-back.

Barcelona's attack features Lamine Yamal and Raphinha alongside Anthony Gordon. Pedri and Rodri will operate in midfield with Fermin Lopez.

Barcelona Lead the La Liga Table

Barcelona entered El Clasico at the top of the La Liga table with 27 points from nine matches. Real Madrid had 21 points from the same number of games and were sitting third. The result therefore carries major importance for the early title race.

The first El Clasico of the 2026–27 season is being played at Camp Nou, with kick-off at 2:00am Bangladesh time.

For Real Madrid, the biggest pre-match concern is the absence of Courtois. The Belgian goalkeeper has a strong reputation in big games, making his late withdrawal a significant setback for Jose Mourinho's side.

With Courtois unavailable, the responsibility now falls on Andriy Lunin. His performance could prove crucial against a Barcelona attack led by Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.