CRISTIANO RONALDO has given Real Madrid a major El Clasico boost by returning to full training in time to play on Saturday.
Ronaldo had been an injury doubt for tomorrow’s clash with Barcelona after suffering knock in the Club World Cup Final last week.
The Portugal star had been training on his own earlier this week working on a personal rehabilitation programme in an effort to prove his fitness.
And the 32-year-old was cleared to link up with his team-mates today to take part in a full session as Zinedine Zidane put the finishing touches to his preparations.
Real desperately need to win this weekend to keep alive their slim hopes of winning La Liga this season.
Barca are currently six points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of the table – with Real languishing 11 points back in fourth.
We are ready
pic.twitter.com/n8eNd125IM
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) December 22, 2017
Zidane’s side have played a game less than everyone else, but anything less than maximum points at the Bernabeu would leave them with too much ground to make up.
Gareth Bale is also back in full training and is hoping for a start as he looks to get his injury-plagued season back on track.
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Despite being in dominant form so far this season, Barca coach Ernesto Valverde says it would be foolish to write off the threat posed by their old rivals.
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He insists the gap between the two sides counts for nothing in the intense atmosphere surrounding matches between them both.
Valverde said: “There are so many spotlights around this game that sometimes they blind you. It is just a football game and we are preparing it as such.
“We know it’ll be tough, but we’ll come out to win and extend our streak. We want to reaffirm our good form by playing a good game.”
“But we are not the favorites. The standings don’t matter in these games.
“They’re very good and we’ll have to be alert and ready for anything.”
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