Real Madrid confirmed on Thursday that their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been diagnosed with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL and needs to undergo surgery.

This comes ahead of Real Madrid’s La Liga opener against Athletic Club at San Mames on Saturday.

“After the tests carried out on our player Thibaut Courtois, he’s been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee,” Real Madrid’s statement read in part.

“The player will undergo surgery in the coming days.”

With the latest development, it looks like Real Madrid will likely be without their first-choice goalkeeper, Courtois, for the Athletic Club tie.

Courtois suffered from injury issues in his back last season and missed a number of weeks of action, with Andriy Lunin filling in.