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August 31, 2014

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Ronaldo not in Real squad for Sociedad clash

CRISTIANO Ronaldo will be rested for Real Madrid’s trip to Real Sociedad today to allow him fully recover from injuries, coach Carlo Ancelotti said yesterday.

The Portuguese has struggled with injuries since the back end of last season and has also not been called up by Portugal for the upcoming international break, which means almost three weeks off for the mercurial 29-year-old.

“He is okay but we have preferred to use this week and the following two for him to recover fully and get him in top condition. He will not play tomorrow and is not in the squad,” Ancelotti told a news conference in Madrid.

Ronaldo has recovered from the knee injury that affected him at the end of the last campaign but was also not 100 percent at the World Cup in Brazil. Of late, he has been troubled with a hamstring strain he picked up in the defeat by Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup.

He has played for Real at the start of this season, scoring three goals in four games in all competitions.

Real has also been weakened by the departures of Angel di Maria and Xabi Alonso this week, and Ancelotti admitted he was taken aback by the decision of the latter to go to Bayern Munich.

“It was a surprise. Everything was calm and so we were a bit surprised but we respect him a lot. Alonso is a very honest person with himself and with Real Madrid,” said the Italian. “He explained it well and said that he needed more motivation. Everyone here at the club respects him and it would have been very difficult to get him to change his mind. You can’t say to a player like Xabi that he couldn’t leave. I wish him luck and he has been a very important player for the team last season.”

Meanwhile, Neymar has been cleared to play again for Barcelona after the Brazil striker missed the Catalans’ Spanish league opener because of a left ankle sprain.

While Neymar is in the squad for today’s visit to Villarreal, Barcelona will be without midfielder Andres Iniesta, who has pain in his left knee.

Coach Luis Enrique has also included 18-year-old forward Munir El Haddadi after his goal-scoring performance helped Barcelona win its league opener against Elche 3-0 last week.




 

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