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| Cristiano Ronaldo to have late fitness test on Wednesday before Bayern tie | Cristiano Ronaldo to have late fitness test on Wednesday before Bayern tie |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Cristiano Ronaldo will have a late fitness test on Wednesday to assess whether he is fit to play against Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. | Cristiano Ronaldo will have a late fitness test on Wednesday to assess whether he is fit to play against Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. |
| The Portuguese winger has not played any competitive football since Madrid's 3-0 quarter-final first-leg win over Borussia Dortmund on 2 April, coming off in the 80th minute of that match with an injury to his left knee. | The Portuguese winger has not played any competitive football since Madrid's 3-0 quarter-final first-leg win over Borussia Dortmund on 2 April, coming off in the 80th minute of that match with an injury to his left knee. |
| He then had to miss the return leg in Dortmund and last week's Copa del Rey final win due to a subsequent hamstring problem, but returned to full training this week. | He then had to miss the return leg in Dortmund and last week's Copa del Rey final win due to a subsequent hamstring problem, but returned to full training this week. |
| The Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said: "Cristiano trained normally today, he's trained well in the last few days and tomorrow he's going to have more tests and then we'll make our decision. | |
| "If everyone is certain he can play without any problems at all, then of course he will play. I am confident he will play, but we're going to make the decision tomorrow." | |
| The Italian coach hinted he might opt against starting Ronaldo at the Bernabéu, with next week's return game at the Allianz Arena in mind. "If there's any risk of a relapse he won't play. We have to remember that this tie is not going to be decided tomorrow. We may be able to gain an advantage from the home leg, but the really decisive game is next Tuesday in Munich." | The Italian coach hinted he might opt against starting Ronaldo at the Bernabéu, with next week's return game at the Allianz Arena in mind. "If there's any risk of a relapse he won't play. We have to remember that this tie is not going to be decided tomorrow. We may be able to gain an advantage from the home leg, but the really decisive game is next Tuesday in Munich." |
| The midfielder Xabi Alonso added: "Cristiano will play if he's 100% fit, that is a decision he, the medical staff and the coach will take. | The midfielder Xabi Alonso added: "Cristiano will play if he's 100% fit, that is a decision he, the medical staff and the coach will take. |
| "We need him to play because he's vital for the team. He gives us explosive play and an ability to create chances and score goals, he's a fundamental player. But if he doesn't play the team can still perform as we saw in the Copa del Rey final." | "We need him to play because he's vital for the team. He gives us explosive play and an ability to create chances and score goals, he's a fundamental player. But if he doesn't play the team can still perform as we saw in the Copa del Rey final." |
| If Ronaldo does not make it, Gareth Bale could start on the left side of attack should he shake off the flu in time. It was a position in which he shone during the 2-1 cup final win over Barcelona when he scored the decisive goal. | |
| Bayern knocked Madrid out of the Champions League semi-finals on penalties two years ago, but Alonso rubbished suggestions that Real were underdogs. | Bayern knocked Madrid out of the Champions League semi-finals on penalties two years ago, but Alonso rubbished suggestions that Real were underdogs. |
| "I don't think Real Madrid are victims, you can never say that," he said. "Bayern are a great team and we are in great form at the moment and so I don't think either team are favourites. The role of favourite doesn't interest us anyway, it's something created by the media and has no effect on the players in the team." | "I don't think Real Madrid are victims, you can never say that," he said. "Bayern are a great team and we are in great form at the moment and so I don't think either team are favourites. The role of favourite doesn't interest us anyway, it's something created by the media and has no effect on the players in the team." |