Andriy Lunin is expected to start when Real Madrid visit the RCDE Stadium tonight at 9:00 pm CEST in the matchday 34 fixture of La Liga.
The decision follows the club’s publication of a 20-player squad list for the trip to Espanyol and a final training session at Real Madrid City that finished the team’s preparations for the match. The list includes three goalkeepers — Lunin, Fran González and Mestre — a full defensive line-up and a midfield and forward group ready for selection.
Coach selection will draw from defenders Alaba, Trent, Asencio, Á. Carreras, Fran García, Rüdiger, Mendy, Huijsen and David Jiménez; midfielders Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouameni, Thiago and Palacios; and forwards Vini Jr., Gonzalo, Brahim and Mastantuono. The complete 20-player roster was confirmed ahead of tonight’s kickoff.
The final training session at Real Madrid City began with a video analysis meeting and moved through activation drills, reaction-speed exercises, rondos, set pieces, a large-sided game, shooting drills and free-kick practice — the same sequence the coaching staff used to shape the squad list for Espanyol.
The immediate story is straightforward: Lunin would make his ninth consecutive appearance if he starts, a continuity the club will weigh while several senior players remain sidelined. Dani Carvajal, Arda Güler, Thibaut Courtois, Kylian Mbappé, Éder Militão and Rodrygo were all listed as unavailable ahead of the match, leaving openings in selection and responsibility for the fit players on the trip.
That depth question is centre stage because Courtois has only just returned to on-pitch training in recent days after sustaining an injury in Manchester 45 days ago. The club describes his recovery as advanced, and Courtois is targeting a return to the starting lineup in the upcoming Clásico. A comeback in the Espanyol match, however, has been judged potentially premature and the coaching staff appear to prefer the measured route leading into the Madrid derby.
For anyone looking for an espanyol vs real madrid prediction, those goalkeeper dynamics are the key variable. Lunin’s continued presence between the posts would be Madrid’s pragmatic answer while Courtois completes the final phase of his rehabilitation. If Lunin starts, tonight will mark his ninth straight appearance — a run that both cements trust in him and raises the stakes on his performances before the Clásico.
The tension is tangible: Courtois could be available again roughly 55 days after his injury in Manchester, which would place his realistic return window after tonight. The club has publicly managed expectations by progressing him through training without rushing match minutes, and the decision to hold him out of Espanyol reflects that caution.
What happens next matters beyond one result. A strong outing by Lunin at the RCDE Stadium would strengthen his case to keep the shirt for the next high-profile fixture; conversely, any wobble would accelerate the conversation about timing Courtois’ return. Either way, tonight’s lineup and performance will help shape who stands in goal when Real Madrid head into the Clásico.
