'Lunin is ready to play for Real Madrid'

Leganes goalkeeper Andres Prieto believes his young team-mate is capable of playing for Los Blancos despite huge competition for a staring place

Leganes goalkeeper Andres Prieto is backing team-mate Andriy Lunin to make it at Real Madrid, insisting that he is good enough to play for Zinedine Zidane's side.

The 20-year-old Ukrainian was signed by the Spanish giants in summer 2018 but was sent out on loan to Liga rivals Leganes shortly after.

His career has yet to take off in La Liga, however, with Lunin currently back-up to 34-year-old Ivan Cuellar and having made just five appearances in all competitions in the 2018-19 campaign.

Real Madrid already possess both Thibaut Courtois and Keylor Navas, with Zinedine Zidane having explained that there will be "no debate" over the goalkeeper position next season.

But Prieto, who spent several years trying to climb the ladder through Madrid's youth system, says he believes Lunin, who has three caps for Ukraine, is ready to compete at the Bernabeu when his loan spell at Leganes ends.

"Andriy Lunin has a great future in front of him," he told Goal . "He is ready to play for Real."

Prieto, who left Madrid in 2013 having failed to break into the first-team setup at the club, also discussed his relationship with his brother-in-law and Real star Lucas Vazquez.

"When my girlfriend and I realised that her sister and Lucas Vazquez were dating, I felt very happy," he said. "He was almost my room-mate in the residence and I didn't know anything.

"But we couldn't imagine we would be brothers-in-law then. And eight years after that, look at us.

"But I don't feel he is my brother-in-law, I don't use that word. We have a friendship and healthy relationship.

"I prefer him as my brother-in-law than as my rival. I never want to come up against him in a rival team, if possible!"

Prieto hasn't played for Leganes this season and will see his team-mates come up against Lucas and Madrid on Monday when both sides face off in La Liga.

Leganes sit 11th in the table, 20 points back from third-placed Madrid ahead of their clash at Estadio Municipal de Butarque.

It has, however, been a positive season for Mauricio Pellegrino's side, given they only finished one place above the relegation spots in the 2017-18 campaign.

For Madrid, meanwhile, it's been somewhat chaotic, with both Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari having been sacked over the course of a season that's seen them come up short both domestically and in Europe.