What happened: Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will miss Sunday's scheduled El Clasico against Barcelona after failing to recover from a viral infection. Club officials initially left the door open for a late flight to Barcelona if his flu symptoms eased following morning evaluations at Valdebebas. Mundo Deportivo subsequently confirmed that Courtois remained unable to travel and will miss the match entirely.

Why it matters: Courtois' illness puts Ukrainian backup Andriy Lunin in the starting lineup at Camp Nou. Losing their primary goalkeeper on matchday morning forces a late adjustment to Real Madrid's defensive unit against their top domestic rival.

What to watch: Lunin takes over starting goalkeeper duties for Real Madrid against Barcelona today. Madrid medical staff will monitor Courtois' recovery ahead of the club's next fixture.