---
title: "Mourinho Evaluates Lunin's Performance in El Clasico and Mentions Courtois"
description: "Real Madrid's head coach criticized journalists for ignoring Andriy Lunin after the El Clasico victory over Barcelona and commented on Thibaut Courtois."
date: 2026-10-26T07:14:38.490Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/mourinho-evaluates-lunin-el-clasico-performance
tags: [real-madrid, andriy-lunin, jose-mourinho, el-clasico, thibaut-courtois, la-liga]
author: "Dmitriy Shatolov"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Mourinho Evaluates Lunin's Performance in El Clasico and Mentions Courtois

![Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin in an orange jersey celebrating a victory on the pitch](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/26/mourinyu-ocenil-igru-lunina-v-el-klasiko/mourinyu-ocenil-igru-lunina-v-el-klasiko-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Jose Mourinho reproached journalists for not asking any questions about Andriy Lunin.
- The coach praised the calm and confident performance of the Ukrainian goalkeeper against Barcelona.
- The specialist recalled Thibaut Courtois's high status while emphasizing there was no reason for despair.
- The victory allowed Real Madrid to reach 24 points and narrow the gap with Barcelona to three points.

The head coach of Real Madrid highly praised the performance of Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin in the high-stakes Spanish league match against Barcelona. Following the final whistle, the manager drew media attention to the complete lack of questions regarding the goalkeeper's performance and reminded everyone of the team's primary goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois.

### Coach's Reaction to Ignoring the Goalkeeper

After the victorious El Clasico, the head coach openly reproached journalists at the press conference for completely ignoring the Ukrainian goalkeeper's performance. According to the specialist, if the team had lost due to goalkeeping errors, this issue would have been the primary focus for the press. The manager emphasized that Lunin demonstrated exceptional calmness on the pitch and confirmed his readiness to play at the highest level through continuous training.

### Comparison with Thibaut Courtois and Contribution to Victory

Separately, the coach touched upon the topic of the injured Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, noting his status as the best goalkeeper in the world. At the same time, the specialist added that no one in the club was mourning the absence of the Belgian, as trust in the backup players remains absolute. Andriy Lunin himself repeatedly saved the Madrid club from conceded goals during the match, making several key saves in difficult situations.

### Tournament Consequences and Match Context

The main hero in the attacking line of the Whites in this encounter was French forward Kylian Mbappe, who scored a winning brace. The earned three points allowed Real Madrid to bring their total points to 24 and get close to their Catalan rival in the La Liga standings. Currently, the gap between the principled rivals in the national championship is only three points, which intensifies the struggle for the championship title.

### Significance of Lunin's Performance for the Team

The confident play of the Ukrainian goalkeeper in matches of this level confirms the depth of the Madrid club's squad and the correctness of the coaching approach to rotation. Support from the manager relieves additional psychological pressure from the goalkeeper, who is forced to compete with one of the strongest players in the world in his position. Amidst a tight calendar and fighting on multiple fronts, defensive reliability becomes a decisive factor in achieving the team's long-term goals.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Моуринью выдал оценку игре Лунина против "Барсы" и вспомнил о Куртуа](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/mourinyu-vidav-otsinku-gri-lunina-proti-barsi-1792997006.html) - The article is based on a report by Sport RBC.UA and The Madrid Zone's X post regarding the post-match press conference.

## FAQ

### How did Mourinho evaluate Andriy Lunin's performance?

The coach highly praised the goalkeeper's performance, noting his exceptional calmness and professionalism amidst media criticism.

### What did the specialist say about Thibaut Courtois?

He called the Belgian the best goalkeeper in the world, adding that the team did not worry about his absence on the pitch.

### What is Real Madrid's standing after the match?

The team earned 24 points and reduced the gap behind league leaders Barcelona to three points.