Will he return? Courtois challenges Real Madrid's official statement ahead of the Clasico

Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper, has grown optimistic about featuring in today's Clasico against Barcelona after shaking off a bout of flu, with the prospect of travelling with the squad now in play.

Real Madrid had ruled the Belgian out of the eagerly anticipated fixture on Sunday morning because of illness. Courtois now fancies his chances of travelling with the team and preparing to take part, according to the British newspaper The Athletic.

At 34, Courtois is the first-choice goalkeeper under Jose Mourinho and has played in every one of Real Madrid's matches this season. Should he be ruled unfit, Andriy Lunin stands ready to deputise.

Both goalkeepers have been on the books since 2018, and Lunin has played 43 La Liga matches over the past five seasons whenever Courtois has been unavailable.

Real Madrid are treading carefully over the possibility of Courtois starting on Sunday. Ilya Voloshyn, the club's third-choice goalkeeper, travelled with the first-team squad.

A Ukraine under-20 international, Voloshyn has never made a first-team appearance at club level.

Sergio Mestre completes the goalkeeping options in Real Madrid's squad for the match.

Courtois remains one of Real Madrid's key men and has been outstanding this season, cementing his status not only as the first-choice goalkeeper but as one of the best in the world. He has kept clean sheets in 98 La Liga matches.

This is his ninth season at the club he joined from Chelsea in the summer of 2018, a spell that has brought 12 trophies, among them three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues.

His contract in the Spanish capital expires at the end of this season, though a 12-month extension is expected to keep him at the club until 2028.

Real Madrid go into the match six points behind league leaders Barcelona. Their results have picked up in recent weeks, with wins over Sevilla and Leipzig.