Ronaldo in doubt as Real Madrid look to seal last-16 place in Champions League
Real Madrid will almost certainly be without Cristiano Ronaldo as they look to mathematically seal their place in the Champions League last 16 at home to Galatasaray on Wednesday.
The Spanish soccer giants are virtually already in the knockout stage as they would need to lose their remaining two games heavily, having beaten Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen 6-1 and 4-0 respectively on match day one and two.
However, they can also guarantee first place in Group B with just a point against the Turkish champions.
The last time Real Madrid played in the final was 2002. For a club like Real Madrid this is not good
Ronaldo is unlikely to be risked as he suffered a minor thigh injury in Madrid’s 5-0 destruction of Almeria on Saturday.
The Portuguese had given the visitors the lead in that game to continue his sensational scoring form of late that has seen him net 32 times for club and country already this season.
Despite Ronaldo’s withdrawal just after half-time with the score 1-0, Real shrugged off his departure to fire in four more goals in the final half hour with Gareth Bale among the goalscorers.
That was the Welshman’s fourth goal in five games as he begins to find his feet in the Spanish capital after his move from Tottenham Hotspur in September.
Bale’s return to form has coincided with Madrid’s best spell under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti as they have racked up 20 goals in their last four league games.