Cristiano Ronaldo back for key Real Madrid match
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Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to make his long awaited return to action when Real Madrid entertains Swiss side FC Zurich in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The Portuguese international has been out of action with an ankle injury that he picked up on international duty at the start of October.
Now he returns at exactly the right moment, as his side look to qualify for the last 16 of the competition, just four days ahead of Sunday's visit to the Camp Nou Stadium.
Real Madrid should have few problems against a side that it defeated 5-2 away from home.
However, Manuel Pellegrini's players would do well to remember that their goals arrived in injury time after the Swiss team had fought back to 3-2 from 3-0 down back in September.
Pellegrini could use the match as to give an opportunity to captain Raul Gonzalez, who has been out of favor of late. That would allow him to rest Gonzalo Higuain or Karim Benzema ahead of the trip to Barcelona.
With Real Madrid, AC Milan and Marseilles all within a point of each other at the top of Group C, Real needs a win to avoid a potential banana skin in its last group game, which is away to Marseilles in two week time.
Pellegrini also knows the advantages of finishing top of the group and the need for a positive performance to avoid further criticism of his direction of the team.
Ronaldo is unlikely to start the game, but will certainly get minutes as a substitute as he aims to be 100 percent fit for the Camp Nou.
Real Madrid has not played well during the month and a half the Portuguese star has been injured and Pellegrini will no doubt breathe a sigh of relief when he steps onto the pitch.
Meanwhile Atletico Madrid travels to Cyprus to play AOEPL with no chance of making it into the last 16. However, the winner of that game will earn a place in the knockout phase of the Europa League.
With Atletico currently lying third from bottom of the Primera Liga, it is vital that Quique Sanchez's Flores' side triumphs in Nicosia to keep its season alive.
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