Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has underlined the
importance of welcoming back World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo for the
holders Champions League opener against APOEL Nicosia on Wednesday.
Ronaldo has been
suspended for Real’s last four games after pushing a referee in the Spanish
Super Cup and has been badly missed as the European champions have been held at
home by Valencia and Levante in their last two outings.
“He doesn’t just bring goals,” said Zidane on
Tuesday.
“He is an
important player in the squad, he is a leader. He always wants to win and he
transmits that to the rest.
“Every time he is with us, I as a coach and the
rest of the players are happy.”
Ronaldo’s absence
has been felt even more acutely due to Madrid’s surprising shortage of striking
options.
Real failed to
replace Alvaro Morata following his £70 million ($91 million, 78 million euros)
switch to Chelsea as they missed out to Paris Saint-Germain for French wonder
kid Kylian Mbappe.
Mariano Diaz has
also enjoyed a stunning start in France after being allowed to leave for Lyon.
And with Karim
Benzema sidelined for a month, 20-year-old Borja Mayoral is the only natural
centre-forward available to Zidane.
“When you look at
the players we had like Morata and Mariano and you look now and there is only
Mayoral, you could think we lack a number nine,” admitted Zidane.
“I would have
liked Morata to stay, but you have to understand that he wanted to leave to
play more and we respect that.”
Zidane will also be
able to recall Keylor Navas, Raphael Varane, Casemiro, Luka Modric, Isco and
Gareth Bale after they were all rested from the start against Levante at the
weekend.
News
Source: - Vanguard | September 12, 2017.
Photo Source: - The Sun | June 3, 2017.
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