Real could risk Ronaldo against Spurs
Reuters - Saturday 02 April 2011, 20:00
MADRID - Real Madrid may risk forward
Cristiano Ronaldo in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final
first leg at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
The world's most expensive player, who has a leg muscle
strain, was left out for Saturday's shock 1-0 La Liga defeat at
home to Sporting Gijon.
Jose Mourinho suggested on Friday his Portuguese compatriot
would not be available until Real's game at Athletic Bilbao next
weekend but the coach appeared to alter his stance a day later.
"If Cristiano plays it will be because he and I are taking a
risk," Mourinho told a news conference on Saturday. "The doctor
said he would only be ready for Bilbao. Tomorrow I will talk to
the injured players and decide if we will take a risk."
Striker Karim Benzema will not return until the Bilbao match
and full-back Marcelo is sidelined for two weeks, Mourinho added.
The pair were injured on international duty with France and
Brazil respectively.
Tottenham, who were held to a 0-0 draw at Premier League
bottom side Wigan Athletic on Saturday, are confident midfielder
Gareth Bale can play after a hamstring problem but defender
William Gallas has less chance of overcoming a knee injury.
"I'm hoping Gareth will be fit," manager Harry Redknapp told
the BBC. "I'm hoping William will be fit but he's more doubtful,
he couldn't train yesterday, but we'll have to wait and see.
"If he [Bale] had played today
they said he might have cramped up a little bit and his
hamstring might have tightened so we took a gamble really and
rested him today and hopefully he'll be OK for Tuesday."