UCL:Ronaldo on course to face Bayern

22 Apr 2014 15:12:41
Cristiano Ronaldo should be
fit to face Bayern Munich on
Wednesday, according to
Real Madrid coach Carlo
Ancelotti, but a final decision
on whether he will play in the Champions
League semifinal first leg will be made on
the day of the game.
The Fifa World Player of the Year has not
played since the beginning of this month due
to knee and hamstring strains but is back in
training and will now undergo a more
vigorous session on Wednesday morning
including sprints which will determine
whether he does start.
"He has been fine in training and we will
have another test but it is obvious he will
play if everyone is sure that he doesn't have
any problems.
"We are confident that he will start but a
decision will be made tomorrow," Ancelotti
told a news conference.
"If there is a risk for him then he won't play.
This is a tie and so nothing will be decided
here but hopefully we will take an advantage
into the return leg."
Except for a defeat in the second leg of their
quarter-final tie with Borussia Dortmund,
which did not prevent them from progressing,
Real have been in good form in Ronaldo's
absence with two wins in La Liga and victory
last week in the King's Cup final against
bitter rivals Barcelona.
Gareth Bale came to the fore in the cup with
a fine winning goal and he is also fit to play
having overcome a heavy cold.
"He is in good spirits. He had a small
problem yesterday but now he is looking
forward to playing. With the game he had
against Barca it is logical that it will have
given him more confidence," said Ancelotti.
"At the start of the season he was not ready
but gradually he has found his form through
training. He has been playing well and
scoring goals and I think that he will
continue to progress next season.
"It will also be beneficial for him that he
doesn't have to play in the World Cup."
Real are now aiming for their first Champions
League final since they won the competition
12 years ago against Bayer Leverkusen in
Glasgow and the pressure has been growing
on the team to win their tenth crown.
"The team has confidence as at the start of
the season and now we are also playing
well. We want to win as much as anybody
and claim the tenth which I see as an
advantage for us and not an obsession. We
will do what we can to win," said Ancelotti.
This is now the fourth consecutive year that
the club has reached the semi-finals with the
three previous times ending in failure to
reach the final.
"The objective is to get to the final and we
are not there yet as we have to play 180
minutes against a very strong side," Ancelotti
said.
"The semifinals are not the aim for us but to
achieve that over four years isn't bad," he
added.
© Reuters