Real Madrid may risk forward Cristiano Ronaldo in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
The world’s most expensive player, who has a leg muscle strain, was left out for Saturday’s shock 1-0 La Liga defeat at home to Sporting Gijon.
Jose Mourinho suggested on Friday his Portuguese compatriot would not be available until Real’s game at Athletic Bilbao next weekend but the coach appeared to alter his stance a day later.
“If Cristiano plays it will be because he and I are taking a risk,” Mourinho told a news conference on Saturday. “The doctor said he would only be ready for Bilbao. Tomorrow I will talk to the injured players and decide if we will take a risk.”
Striker Karim Benzema will not return until the Bilbao match and fullback Marcelo is sidelined for two weeks, Mourinho added. The pair were injured on international duty with France and Brazil respectively.
Tottenham, who were held to a 0-0 draw at Premier League bottom side Wigan Athletic on Saturday, are confident midfielder Gareth Bale can play after a hamstring problem but defender William Gallas has less chance of overcoming a knee injury.
“I’m hoping Gareth will be fit,” manager Harry Redknap told the BBC. “I’m hoping William will be fit but he’s more doubtful, he couldn’t train yesterday, but we’ll have to wait and see.
“(But I’m) very hopeful on Gareth. If he had played today they said he might have cramped up a little bit and his hamstring might have tightened so we took a gamble really and rested him today and hopefully he’ll be OK for Tuesday.”
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