Ronaldo may miss Juve return

MADRID: Real Madrid’s star striker Ronaldo has been given only a 10 percent chance of recovering from a calf injury in time for next week’s Champions League football semifinal second leg against Juventus.

The Brazilian strained a muscle in his left calf during Madrid’s 2-1 victory over the Italian team in Tuesday’s first leg at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and was replaced in the 50th minute. Ronaldo is definitely ruled out of Saturday’s league match at Recreativo de Huelva and the club’s chief medical officer Alfonso del Corral said he had only a slight chance of playing against Juventus. Madrid are a point clear at the top of the Spanish League standings with six rounds remaining. “There is a 90 percent chance that he will not be able to play this match, but we will work with the remaining 10 percent with the objective of getting him fit in time,” del Corral told the club’s Web site, www.realmadrid.com

Ronaldo’s injury has coincided with the return to training of his striking partner, Spanish international Raul Gonzalez. Raul has been sidelined for two weeks after undergoing an emergency appendix operation but is expected to play in the match at Juventus’ Delle Alpi stadium on May 14. Ronaldo scored Madrid’s first goal against Juventus. That followed a three-goal hat-trick in his previous Champions League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford two weeks ago.