MADRID: Real Madrid’s Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo has not recovered sufficiently from a muscle strain and will miss Saturday’s La Liga game at home to Real Valladolid (1900 GMT), coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday.
Ronaldo, who has netted 14 goals in his last seven appearances for club and country, limped off at the start of the second half of last weekend’s win at Almeria and a scan on Monday confirmed he had damaged a hamstring.
He missed Wednesday’s Champions League victory at home to Galatasaray and, although further tests on Friday showed the muscle had healed, Ancelotti said the 28-year-old was not in shape to feature at the Bernabeu.
“No, tomorrow Cristiano won’t play because he is not comfortable and doesn’t feel good,” the Italian told a news conference.
“We did a scan this morning and while the muscle is completely healed he is not comfortable and hasn’t trained much,” he added. “So we are not going to take the risk. He has 15 days to work and prepare well for the next league match (at Osasuna on Dec. 14).”
Ronaldo is also likely to miss Real’s King’s Cup last-32 first leg at third-tier Olimpic de Xativa on Dec. 7. (Agencies)