Zinedine Zidane Hopeful on Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema Fitness
Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid manager, said he hoped Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to be fully fit for Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: April 27, 2016 03:09 PM IST
![Zinedine Zidane Hopeful on Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema Fitness](https://s.ndtvimg.com/images/content/2016/jan/806/zinedine-zidane-and-karim-benzema.jpg)
Highlights
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Real Madrid played out a goalless draw with Man City in Cl SF 1st leg
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Ronaldo did not play in the game due to a leg injury
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Benzema was also taken off at half-time, as he was carrying a niggle
Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane expressed hope on Tuesday that both Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema will be fit for their Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City.
Ronaldo sat out the first leg at the Etihad Stadium, which finished goalless, with a thigh strain, while Benzema, who had been a pre-match doubt with a knee problem, went off at half-time.
Zidane had declared both players "100 percent" fit in Monday's pre-match press conference, but said that Ronaldo had "felt something" during the final training session.
"I said 100 percent, but I did say there was still training and we'd take a look," said Zidane, whose side resume hostilities with City at the Bernabeu next Wednesday.
"Cristiano felt something after that last training session. That's why he didn't play. Karim, it was a little bit different. But at the end of the day, little by little, he felt a little bit worse in himself.
"We don't want to gamble with his fitness. We know how important both players are for us.
"We hope that they can both be in the second leg. We have to take it day by day with both of them."
Ronaldo watched Tuesday's game from the bench, with Benzema giving way to Jese at half-time.