Real Madrid vs Manchester City - Cristiano Ronaldo fit to face Manchester City
Posted Wednesday, May 04, 2016 by PA
Cristiano Ronaldo has been passed fit for the second leg of Real Madrid's Champions League semi-final against Manchester City, coach Zinedine Zidane has announced.
The former Manchester United forward has missed Real's last three games - including the goalless draw in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium last week - with a thigh injury.
But the Portuguese has played a full part in training ahead of Wednesday's second clash at the Bernabeu, and Zidane says he is ready to return.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Zidane said: "Cristiano is okay. He is 100 per cent. He trained this morning and he will be there tomorrow."
Zidane delivered less optimistic news about two other key players as he confirmed both forward Karim Benzema and defensive midfielder Casemiro would miss out.
Benzema was withdrawn at half-time in Manchester with a hamstring injury and Casemiro has since suffered a blow to the hip.
Zidane said: "Karim and Case are different. Karim still had a doubt and we don't want to risk it, and the same goes for Case. It is not an injury, just a bit of a problem.
"But we have another squad list and so everybody else can play."
Zidane insisted there was no risk attached to playing Ronaldo, who has struck 16 times in 10 appearances in the Champions League this season, and is the competition's record goalscorer.
The Frenchman said: "The whole week, little by little, Ronaldo has been recovering. That's how it is with this player. He's very quick, he looks after himself a lot, and tomorrow he will be 100 per cent."
City boss Manuel Pellegrini, meanwhile, has warned that stopping Real is about much more than shutting out Ronaldo.
Pellegrini said: "Cristiano will always be a different player. He scores a lot of goals and has throughout his six years here.
"However, I don't think Real are just Cristiano Ronaldo. We must work as a team defending and attacking. It is not just against Ronaldo but against Real Madrid."
City have their own crack frontman in Sergio Aguero, who has scored 28 goals this season, and Pellegrini hopes the Argentinian will be back at his best after being rested for the weekend loss at Southampton.
Pellegrini said: "I always say these kind of games are decided by the best technical players. We have Sergio and I am sure we will see him in a good performance."
Pellegrini also intends to continue playing in the same free-spirited way that has seen them claim good results away at Borussia Monchengladbach, Sevilla, Dynamo Kiev and Paris St Germain this season.
He said: "In the three seasons in the Champions League we have played very well away.
"We will continue trying to play in exactly the same way. The pressure in the Bernabeu is high pressure but I think we have the personality and the football to try to beat them.
"Everyone must trust in their team. We trust in ours and I hope we can demonstrate it in the 90 minutes.
"We are sure we will need to make a very good performance to reach the final - it would be the first time we've reached it."
Pellegrini confirmed Yaya Toure is fit and in contention to play after missing the last two games with a thigh injury.
One player who will not be involved, however, is full-back Pablo Zabaleta due to a muscle injury.
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