Cristiano Ronaldo OK after injury scare in Madrid practice
Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo plays with a ball during a training session ahead of Saturday’s Champions League soccer match final between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid, at the Valdebebas stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, May 24, 2016 . (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
MADRID — Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid’s training session early after an injury scare on Tuesday, but doctors said the forward is not at risk of missing the Champions League final.
Ronaldo hurt his left leg after colliding with reserve goalkeeper Kiko Casilla while going for a ball crossed into the area near the end of the session. He appeared in pain and stayed on the ground for a few moments as players surrounded him with concern.
After being assisted on the field, the Portuguese forward walked off the pitch on his own and doctors quickly dismissed any serious injuries, saying it was a minor knock to his thigh.
Ronaldo said it was just a scare and guaranteed he will be fit to play Saturday’s final against Atletico Madrid in Milan.
“I feel good,” he said. “I just had a small problem in the training but in a couple of days I will be 100 percent.”
Ronaldo had already missed a few games late in the season — including the first leg of the Champions League semifinal against Manchester City — because of a right-leg muscle problem.
In addition to helping Madrid win its 11th European title, Ronaldo will also have a chance to break his own record of 17 goals set in the 2013-14 competition.
“I would like to score again, of course, but the record is already mine whether I score or not,” he said. “Records must be beaten in a natural way, so I don’t care about that. The important thing is to win, with a goal by Cristiano or without a goal by Cristiano, whatever. I don’t care about that because if we win, we all win and it’s Real Madrid that counts.”
Ronaldo scored the final goal when Real Madrid defeated Atletico 4-1 in extra time in the 2014 Champions League final in Lisbon, Portugal.
He said he still remembers the moment he lifted the trophy two years ago and was looking forward to doing it again on Saturday.
“It would be a failure for us if we lost,” Ronaldo said. “But we are going to win it.”
