Carlo Ancelotti is planning to bench the Real Madrid starter for the semi-final of the Champions League return

Real Madrid plans to deliver Thibaut Courtois return in the Champions League semi-final match against Bayern Munich, at the expense of Andriy Lunin. The Belgian goalkeeper has yet to play this year following subsequent anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus injuries, but was on the bench on Tuesday.

Carlo Ancelotti remarked that Courtois “could play against Cadiz” this weekend, and that would be his only test ahead of the Bayern game. Relief they say that in the staff they feel that Lunin did little wrong, but it is not only Courtois. The giant goalkeeper is back in excellent form, and is an option that Ancelotti has been weighing up for several weeks.

The moon he has come up with a number of crucial saves this season, none more so than from Bernardo Silva in his penalty shoot out against Manchester City, but doubts about his decision-making and his weakness from set pieces have been evident in the last few weeks. The Ukrainian was targeted by City and Barcelona from corners, and there were questions about him for Silva's free-kick at the Bernabeu, and Leroy Sane's strike at the Allianz Arena.

It would be a big call from Ancelotti, who has already been seen as too hard on Lunin in the dressing room earlier this season. Reluctant to use Lunin all season, he was a defender of the arrival of Kepa Arrizabalaga, and wanted David Ospina to support Courtois two summers ago.