Benfica and Inter Milan also won back-to-back titles. However, midfielder Isco, defender Fabio Coentrao and goalkeeper Keylor Navas are injured.
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No team has retained the Champions League since the tournament rebranded and switched to a group-stage format and Zidane feels a weight of expectation has played a part in this peculiarity. He said it was what he wants the most.
Madrid will be massively boosted by the return of Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time since the Portuguese suffered knee ligament damage in the final of Euro 2016.
Elsewhere, the only major issues are whether Isco will be on the bench after an ankle injury or if Karim Benzema will start in attack ahead of Alvaro Morata.
The 31-year-old returned for Real in their 5-2 win over Osasuna on Saturday, scoring the first after six minutes with a simple back-post tap-in.
Cristiano Ronaldo faces an “extra special” match when Sporting CP visit the Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League, says Zinedine Zidane.
“He will play a great game against us and we will of course have to try to limit him”.
“It isn’t just what I think”. That’s a lot of time for a player.
“[Ronaldo] is ready to play, he wants to play, the idea is that he plays the 90 minutes”, the Frenchman said.
“There were a few moments where I felt nervous but that is normal after an injury”. Sporting is his club, he grew up there so it’s to be expected. It will be something extra special for him but he’s very professional and when he plays he gives his best. “Once the whistle goes he will be focused on what he has to do, as he always is on the pitch”. “He openly wanted to be the best player in the world”.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi enjoyed plenty of battles during their days at Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively, and now that flame has been reignited with a war of words in the Spanish media.
“The players understand, although it’s not easy”.
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“I thought he was too young to leave”. He only played someone else when one of the eleven was out.
