Ronaldo is ready for City showdown

MADRID – Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane claimed three-time World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo is 100% fit for his side ’ s Champions League semifinal, second leg showdown with Manchester City tonight.

Ronaldo missed last week ’ s 0-0 draw in the first leg due to a thigh injury, but took a full part in training on Monday and Tuesday.

However, Zidane confirmed that Madrid will be missing two other key players in striker Karim Benzema and defensive midfielder Casemiro through injury.

“Cristiano is fine, he is 100%, that is why he trained this week and will be there tomorrow,” Zidane said.

“Karim and Casemiro are another thing. In the scan today Karim still has a problem and we don ’ t want to risk him.

“The same with Casemiro. He doesn ’ t have a serious injury but it is a dilemma and we also don ’ t want to risk him.

“We have a sufficient squad so that the rest can play.”

Zidane also claimed Ronaldo was 100% on the eve of the first leg before the Portuguese was finally forced to miss out after feeling the recurrence of the muscle injury he picked up against Villarreal two weeks ago.

However, having also sat out Real ’ s Gareth Bale-inspired 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Saturday, Zidane is confident Ronaldo will be ready for another famous European night at the Santiago Bernabeu after scoring a hat-trick to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit against Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals.

“It has been over a week and little-by-little he has been recovering. He is a player like that, he recovers quickly,” added Zidane. “We need Cristiano at 100% because he is a different player.

“I would have liked Karim to be fit too, but others will play.”