Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to shake off a niggling thigh strain and hasn’t been named in his side’s starting XI to face Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final first-leg clash on Tuesday night.
The 31-year-old forward, looking to better his season best tally of 17 goals in the competition, missed his first La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano over the weekend, and was only fit for the bench despite been declared as “100 per cent” fit by manager Zinedine Zidane.
Fit again Karim Benzema will lead the line for the Galacticos, alongside Gareth Bale and Lucas Vazquez.
Kevin De Bruyne returns to Manuel Pellegrini’s starting XI after being rested at the weekend while skipper Vincent Kompany is passed fit to play and lines up alongside Nicolas Otamendi.
The line-Ups
Manchester City: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Otamendi, Clichy; Fernandinho, Fernando; Navas, Silva, De Bruyne; Aguero. Subs: Caballero, Mangala, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Delph, Sterling, Iheanacho.
Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Bale, Benzema, Vazquez. Subs: Casilla, Varane, James, Kovacic, Jese, Isco, Danilo.
