The goalie position is unsettled as Real Madrid prepares for a crucial league game against Valencia, which worries both management and supporters.  The coaching staff is still doubtful if they can rely on Andriy Lunin, who is struggling with a muscular problem in his right calf, with just hours before the match.  Even if the injury is not considered serious, it can keep him from giving his best effort.

It is probable that the final training session before the game will determine Lunin’s participation.  In the event that his pain persists, Carlo Ancelotti might be forced to rely on Fran Gonzalez, the team’s backup goalpitch.  Despite being called up multiple times, Gonzalez has not yet made his official debut.

Fran Gonzalez has so far been a steady but very quiet member of Real Madrid’s squad.  The 19-year-old, who is from Leon, has been closely monitored by Real Madrid’s coaching staff for a while.  Following Thibaut Courtois’s severe injury, his name started to gain traction as a potential long-term substitute.

Fran was frequently called up to the first team during the 2023–2024 season.  Although he did not play on the field, he was a member of the team that celebrated the club’s fifteenth Champions League victory at Wembley and won the Supercopa de Espana.  Among the festivities, his tall and calm demeanor stood out, indicating that he is already a member of the club’s elite.

 Born on June 24, 2005, Fran began playing football at Cultural Leonesa’s youth leagues.   With the exception of Real Madrid, who added him to their Juvenile B squad in 2022, he was overlooked by the majority of great clubs.  His trajectory has been steadily increasing ever since.