Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo will not play any part in Real Madrid's Uefa Champions League clash with Galatasaray on Wednesday night.
The former Manchester United forward picked up a strain in his left thigh during Madrid’s 5-0 win at Almeria on Saturday, forcing him to be substituted in the 54th minute.
Ancelotti, the Madrid coach reiterated that the injury was nothing to be worried about and was hopeful he would only miss the match with Roberto Mancini’s side and could be back in time to face Real Valladolid at the weekend.
“Cristiano can’t play tomorrow, he’s had a very small problem but tomorrow we’re going to rest him and we’re going to see if he can be available for Saturday,” Ancelotti told a press conference.
Ronaldo has scored 14 goals in his last seven matches for club and country and Madrid fans inside the Bernabeu will pay tribute to the forward by wearing 45,000 masks of his face to show their support for his bid to win the Fifa Ballon d’Or.
The coach also confirmed he would not change Gareth Bale’s position on the right of Madrid’s attack in Ronaldo’s absence.
“Bale plays on the right to take advantage of his shooting ability, I prefer my players to play on a different side to their stronger foot,” he said.
Ronaldo, Sami Khedira, Raphael Varane and Fabio Coentrao have all been ruled out through injury, while Luka Modric is suspended after picking three yellow cards in the first four Champions League games.
Madrid romped to a 6-1 win over Galatasaray when the two teams met in September in Turkey but Ancelotti believes the Turkish champions are a stronger side under Mancini, who succeeded Fatih Terim as coach a week after that match.
“It will be a different game to the one in Istanbul, Galatasaray have changed a lot since Mancini arrived,” said Ancelotti.
“Now they have more balance and have quality in attack, with players like Didier Drogba. We expect a very difficult game because they are playing for qualification.”
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