Real Madrid vs Lyon preview - Real to monitor Ronaldo fitness - 7M sport

Real Madrid vs Lyon preview - Real to monitor Ronaldo fitness



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Posted Wednesday, March 16, 2011 by PA

Real Madrid vs Lyon preview - Real to monitor Ronaldo fitness

Jose Mourinho was unable to shed any light on whether Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo would be fit for Real Madrid's vital Champions League last 16 second-leg clash against Lyon on Wednesday night when he spoke to the media on Tuesday.

The £80million striker, 26, damaged his hamstring in the 7-0 thrashing of Malaga on March 3, and at the time of the injury the club stated he would be sidelined for between 10 and 15 days.

Mourinho must now decide whether Ronaldo is ready to feature for the nine-time European champions, with the tie well poised at 1-1 from the first leg.

He told marca.com: "I don't know whether he is going to play or not. We'll wait until the final training session to decide. I'm not a doctor and I'm not the player so I will leave it to the medical department to decide.

"I do not like to decide anything on game day - I like to be clear a day earlier. I have nothing to hide. If he is well, he will play. But you will have to wait a little."

Madrid's recent record in the competition is in stark contrast to their position as the most decorated team in the tournament's history, having been dumped out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage in each of the last six seasons.

Lyon were the team who eliminated them from last season's competition, denying Madrid the possibility of playing in a Champions League final on their home Bernabeu pitch.

Mourinho, who won that final with Inter Milan, refused to read too much into Madrid's own poor recent record or his own impressive form in the competition, having also won it as coach of Porto in 2004.

"Everyone has a past, positive and negative. But the past does not play a part," he added.

"I usually have good results in the Champions League and have reached finals and semi-finals. But neither my good results and play for Madrid's poor results in recent years play a part. They are unique matches. The tie is open, although we have a tiny advantage when the game starts."

Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has called on the Bernabeu crowd to give the team their full backing.

Spain's World Cup-winning captain said: "We know that the environment in the Champions League is different and we need them (the crowd).

"The best moment I remember from the Champions League was a Real Madrid-Bayern in which we had to overcome a 2-1 deficit. The crowd turned to the team.

"We know the Champions League environment is different, we need the public to get behind us. People have to help us and, together, be in the quarter-finals."

Lyon reached the semi-finals last year, with Miralem Pjanic scoring the vital goal at the Bernabeu last season.

The Bosnian midfielder, quoted in his home country's media, said: "We have travelled to Madrid to score a goal, to advance to the quarter-finals. We have quality and if we continue with our level of play will achieve a new success.

"Most importantly we must resist the early pressure. Also our coach will prepare the appropriate tactic."

Lyon have never lost at the Bernabeu, having drawn in all three of their previous visits to the Spanish capital.

On the injury front, aside from Ronaldo there is a question mark around Pedro Leon, who missed Madrid's weekend win over Hercules after straining a knee in training.

Sami Khedira and Ezequiel Garay both returned to the substitutes bench against Hercules, with the Germany midfielder coming on before the hour-mark. Kaka has not played since suffering a knee injury on February 26, while Fernando Gago is out with a torn adductor. Argentinian forward Gonzalo Higuain is set to miss the rest of the season with a slipped disc suffered in November.

For Lyon, full-back Aly Cissokho (knee) missed out against Sochaux at the weekend, as did playmaker Yoann Gourcuff with a bruised toe.



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