Andriy Lunin earned glowing praise in Monday's press for his display against Barcelona, with Real Madrid's goalkeeper helping his side to a 2-1 win in yesterday's Clasico.
The decision to start Lunin came yesterday, once Thibaut Courtois was ruled out through illness. His absence had left Real Madrid fans fearing the worst.
Lunin answered those fears in style. He produced an outstanding display, showing real character in a game that ended in victory for Los Blancos.
Marca wrote via "Marca": "In the pages dedicated to Real Madrid, within the section: superheroes around the clock, you will find the name Andriy Lunin and his phone number."
The paper continued: "When Thibaut Courtois arrived at Valdebebas with a fever and feeling unwell, which prevented him from travelling to Barcelona, Mourinho sent a message to the Ukrainian asking him to put on his gloves and his work clothes and get ready for a special mission: starting in the Clasico."
"Lunin was brilliant at it," it added. "Despite Raphinha's goal, the Ukrainian goalkeeper's performance at the Camp Nou was historic, and he earned great praise for his stunning save from Gerard Martin's shot, which rescued Real Madrid."
On that superhuman stop, Lunin said: "I love Nuno's saying (the goalkeeping coach): good training, it is about the daily work."
Mourinho's first embrace after the Clasico
"You have already asked me two questions, and neither of them is about Lunin, but if we had lost here because of Lunin's mistakes, the first question would have been about him," Mourinho joked in the press conference, before running to embrace his goalkeeper the moment Martinez Munuera blew the final whistle.
Lavishing praise on his reserve stopper, the Real Madrid coach said: "All I told him is that he does not train to sit on the bench. He played a very calm and composed match. We have the best goalkeeper in the world, but none of us was sad today that Thibaut did not play. The team is very united, even in difficult times."
His knack for turning into a superhero when it matters impresses even his team-mates. Valverde said: "There are no words to describe what Lunin did today and what he does every day. It is true that he gets fewer minutes because of Thibaut, but he always gives his best with a positive spirit, and that shows that when his turn comes, he is ready."
In the Clasico, he is also something of a lucky charm. The game at the Camp Nou was his fifth against Barcelona, and he has won four of them.