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Zidane convinced Ronaldo will be fit for Champions League final

Reuters SPORTS
Published May 08,2018
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Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is 150 percent sure that Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit to face Liverpool in the Champions League final on May 26.

The European champions' talismanic forward suffered a minor ankle sprain while scoring in the 2-2 draw with Barcelona on Sunday.

Ronaldo will miss the league matches against Sevilla on Wednesday and Celta Vigo on Saturday, but may return for the final game of the season against Villarreal on May 19.

"What is incredible is that (Ronaldo) is walking after 48 hours and that shows his ambition, but I'm not sure if he will be available for the Villarreal game," Zidane told reporters on Tuesday.

"Everyone will be available for the final, I'm telling you, 150 percent. Everyone will be back, Cristiano, Isco and (Dani) Carvajal."

Madrid, third, have little at stake in Spain's top flight, with their season hanging on the clash with Liverpool in Kiev, where they could win the Champions League for the third year running and a record-extending 13th time.

"It's a final and it will be very intense. A spectacular game with chances for both teams," Zidane said.

"They have a bit of everything, strength, technique, speed, they are English and they defend and they fight, they know how to do it."

Asked about Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who has scored a joint-record 31 Premier League goals this season, Zidane praised the Egyptian.

"I don't know if Salah will be able to win the Ballon d'Or, but he has had a great season," he said.

"The game will not be Cristiano against Salah, it will be Madrid against Liverpool."