......Ronaldo fit for Champions League final
Doubts over Cristiano Ronaldo's fitness for Real
Madrid's Champions League final against Atletico
Madrid on Saturday intensified after the three-
time World Player of the Year limped off
towards the end of training on Tuesday.
Ronaldo has been dogged by a persistent thigh
injury which forced him to miss three games last
month.
The Portuguese also came off at half-time of
Real's final La Liga game of the season -- having
scored twice in the first-half to take his tally for
the season to 51 -- at Deportivo la Coruna 10
days ago.
And Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane confirmed
Ronaldo also didn't play in a practice match on
Saturday as a precaution.
However, Zidane remained confident that
Ronaldo will be fit for the final as he attempts to
break his own record of 17 Champions League
goals in a season having already netted 16 in the
competition so far this campaign.
"There will be no problem. He felt something on
Saturday when we had a game between us and
he didn't play as a precaution," Zidane said on
Tuesday.
"He will be ready for Saturday and I think we are
in good shape physically."
However, there isn't such good news for French
defender Raphael Varane as Zidane confirmed
he will miss Saturday's final and his participation
at Euro 2016 is now in jeopardy due to a
hamstring injury.
"It is sure that he will be injured for Saturday,"
added Zidane.
"I expect he will be out for two or three weeks. I
hope for him it isn't as severe as anticipated.
"I hope he'll have the chance to do something at
the Euros."
Varane was unlikely to start at the San Siro in
Milan in any case with captain Sergio Ramos and
Pepe Zidane's preferred central defensive
partnership.
An 11th European Cup would cap a sensational
start to Zidane's senior management career
having turned around Real's fortunes with 21
wins from 26 games since replacing the sacked
Rafael Benitez in January.
However, the Frenchman -- who won the
Champions League for Madrid with a sensational
volleyed winner in the 2002 final --- insisted he
still has a lot to learn as a coach.
"I have a lot to learn, the desire I have to learn
is tremendous and I am convinced I am going to
improve," he added.
"I have a lot to do to be a good and important
coach in football."
Zidane was more forthcoming on the qualities of
his counterpart this weekend, Atletico coach
Diego Simeone.
The Argentine has masterminded a revolution at
Atletico to lead them to two Champions League
finals in three years having only previously
reached one European Cup final in their history.
"He is one of the best coaches in the world,"
added Zidane.
"He has everything a coach has to have. He
knows his players and his team very well which is
the most important thing."
Zidane also hailed Atletico's variation despite
Simeone's men often being labelled solely as a
solid defensive unit.
Los Rojiblancos have kept 35 clean sheets in 56
games this season, including shutouts at home to
Barcelona and Bayern Munich in dumping the
Spanish and German champions out at the
quarter-final and semi-final stages respectively.
And Atletico also managed a 1-0 win at Real's
Santiago Bernabeu to inflict Zidane's only La Liga
defeat in charge when the sides last met in
February.
"It will be a difficult game because we are
playing against a team that doesn't just defend
well.
"Everyone talks about them defending well, but
they are a complete team. They can also cause
you problems playing with the ball."
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