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FC Barcelona v Real Madrid - LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27Getty Images

'No one cried before the match!' – Jose Mourinho hails hero Andriy Lunin after El Clasico masterclass

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Lunin steps up on biggest stage to deny Barcelona

Andriy Lunin delivered a memorable goalkeeping display as Real Madrid claimed a 2-1 victory over Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Replacing the injured Thibaut Courtois, the Ukrainian goalkeeper made several vital interventions to preserve Madrid's lead.

His standout moment arrived in the 66th minute, pulling off a prodigious save to deny Gerard Martin's point-blank header from a corner.

Lunin's composure ensured Real Madrid collected all three points away from home.

Mourinho and Valverde praise goalkeeper's preparation

Post-match, Jose Mourinho praised Lunin's mindset coming off the bench. "The only thing I told Lunin before the match was, ‘You train to play, not to sit on the bench. Go and play,’" Mourinho revealed.

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"He played a very balanced and composed match... none of us cried before the match because Thibaut wasn’t playing."

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Captain Fede Valverde added: "There are no words to describe what he did today... He's always working behind the scenes, giving his all."

Ukrainian stopper reveals secret behind crucial saves

Speaking after the match, Lunin credited his daily work with goalkeeping coach Nuno for his sharpness under pressure. "Discipline and attitude were key because Barcelona had more possession," Lunin explained.

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"Nuno always says 'well trained' and I think it's because of the daily work."

"When the game is difficult... you have to know how to suffer, manage the game and be a team until the end," he added.

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Lunin reinforces Los Blancos' goalkeeping strength

Lunin's stellar display once again highlighted Real Madrid's exceptional goalkeeping depth in major fixtures.

The Ukrainian remains ready whenever called upon by Mourinho during Courtois' recovery.

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Real Madrid look forward to their next La Liga outing against Santander.

A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.

 

Football Story

Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.

 

Areas of Expertise

Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .

 

Favourite Footballing Memory

Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.

 

My All-Time XI

It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.