Real Madrid look set to complete their U-turn on the future of Cristiano Ronaldo by offering him a contract extension that will keep him at the club until he is 36-years-old.
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Despite his belief in the rest of the squad, Zidane accepts Ronaldo is “untouchable because of what his numbers show”, with the former Manchester United man having scored 47 goals in 44 games for his club this season. “I think he was anxious about what happened in case it he picked up something serious”.
“We will see tomorrow (Thursday) what he has”.
The boss said Ronaldo wanted to play the game despite his injury, but Zidane has made a decision to avoid any risk, hoping to get him back for the visit to the Etihad Stadium. “He felt something in the last game and now we have to bear in mind Tuesday’s game”.
“On the one hand, it is a problem that Cristiano always wants to play, but on the other hand it is good that he is always keen to help the team”.
The sight of Ronaldo walking from the field in discomfort will cause concern among Madrid fans, but Zidane was quick to play down any fears.
The winger, in for the injured Gareth Bale, played a great one-two with Benzema before charging into the area and slamming the ball just inside Asenjo’s near post, clipping the inside of the upright as it went in.
However, he appeared to backtrack on those comments as he rejected suggestions Ronaldo’s injury was caused by fatigue.
“I’ll pick a player who has similar attributes to Cristiano and he’ll play on the left”.
Real Madrid are trying to find a buyer for the Portuguese superstar to fund a summer spending spree.
Meanwhile, the victory ensured that Madrid became only the second side to qualify for the champions semifinals six consecutive times, following in the footsteps of fellow Spanish giants Barcelona.
“He doesn’t just score goals, he’s another member of the team”.
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“We are focused and doing well, on a good run”. We know what it’s like and it’s going to be another very hard game, especially early on.
