Real Madrid fans will not want to hear this, but it looks like there is a chance that both Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema will miss Real Madrid’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City on Wednesday.
The duo is already confirmed to be out of Real Madrid’s La Liga match against Real Sociedad on Saturday. Benzema reportedly has a “muscle problem,” and Ronaldo has been nursing a thigh muscle injury since he exited Real’s match against Villarreal on April 20th.
To make matters worse, Madrid head coach Zidane hinted that Ronaldo has picked up another injury.
"He had another thing, but the most important thing is that he has trained today,” said the Real Madrid manager.
Zidane went on to equivocally state that he hopes to have both Ronaldo and Benzema ready to play on Wednesday against City.
"I hope to have them at 100 percent on Wednesday, Cristiano and Karim. That is what I am thinking now, although I cannot assure you of that now. I hope there will [be] zero risk. I do not want to take risks with players."
Answer or non-answer, Zidane also said he expects Gareth Bale to play.
“If Gareth is good, normally he is going to play.”
Lucas Vasquez and Jese have been Zidane’s go to replacements for Ronaldo and Benzema lately, but because Zidane will likely want them fresh for the second leg against Manchester City, James Rodriguez and Isco could get a chance at starting this Saturday.
James Rodriguez, looking confused as to why he can't get a start. Photo: @managingmadrid | Twitter
Both Isco and James have not been able to establish themselves in Zidane’s midfield. Saturday’s match against Real Sociedad will be an opportunity for James and Isco to change that, especially given how ineffective Real Madrid were in the 1st leg against City with Vasquez and Jese.
That being said, if the rest of Zidane’s tenure is anything to go by, it will take a superhuman performance from Isco or James for them to make it into the starting line-up come Wednesday. The Frenchman simply has not favored playing either of them, regardless of how good their form is or how poorly Madrid are playing.
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