Ronaldo ready for final despite fitness concerns

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was rested from a practice match last weekend, but Zinedine Zidane says he will be fine to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final.

Published : May 24, 2016 16:50 IST , Madrid

In a media conference on Tuesday, Zidane revealed the forward had a minor problem, but would be perfectly fine to play in Milan. "Cristiano has had a slight problem, a little bit of a feeling in his leg last week," Zidane said.
In a media conference on Tuesday, Zidane revealed the forward had a minor problem, but would be perfectly fine to play in Milan. "Cristiano has had a slight problem, a little bit of a feeling in his leg last week," Zidane said.
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In a media conference on Tuesday, Zidane revealed the forward had a minor problem, but would be perfectly fine to play in Milan. "Cristiano has had a slight problem, a little bit of a feeling in his leg last week," Zidane said.

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was rested from a practice match last weekend, but Zinedine Zidane says he will be fine to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final.

The two Madrid clubs meet at San Siro on Saturday, in a repeat of the 2014 showpiece, which Real won 4-1 after extra-time.

Following the conclusion of its Liga campaign on May 14 - in which Ronaldo scored twice in a 2-0 win at Deportivo La Coruna - Madrid held a game among themselves on Saturday, from which the Portuguese was absent.

In a media conference on Tuesday, Zidane revealed the forward had a minor problem, but would be perfectly fine to play in Milan.

"Cristiano has had a slight problem, a little bit of a feeling in his leg last week," Zidane said.

"We had a game on Saturday and he didn't play as a precaution but he'll be ready and we're in good shape for the game.

"We're all fit, James [Rodriguez] is a little bit better and Alvaro Arbeloa also. We're all improving. The only serious one perhaps is [Raphael] Varane, that's the only slight problem we have."

The two sides were separated by just two points in the league this season, and Zidane is well aware of the size of the task facing his players.

"It's going to be a difficult, complicated game against a team that doesn't just defend well, but it's a complete side that can make things difficult for you so we have to be ready," he said.

"Failure would be not to give your all. We know that in a final the important thing is to prepare well and anything can happen. We have to make sure we're ready and see what happens on Saturday.

"It's difficult to say if we're better [than 2014] or not but what we have to do is try and prove that. It's been a good season, we've been working well all season, I don't like to compare.

"We're in very good form and we're ready but it's 50-50 and we're going to have to be ready to suffer.

"I know what it's like to go out as a player and play a final and I'm going to go into it like I always do - calm, determined, patient. You have to have a little bit of everything to go into these games and we want to just try and play in our way."

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