Ronaldo hopes for Madrid return against Barcelona
Posted Nov 13, 2009 4:11 PM
MADRID -Cristiano Ronaldo is hoping to return to Real Madrid in time for the derby against Spanish champion Barcelona later this month.
Ronaldo, who has been out of action since Oct. 10 with a right ankle injury, is eyeing the Nov. 29 match at the Camp Nou to mark his return.
"We have games against Racing (Santander) and FC Zurich and they are very important," Ronaldo said. "Of course I want to be able to face Barca, which is one of the great games, but I also want to be able to play before then."
Ronaldo will visit Dutch specialist Niek van Dijk, who operated on the 24-year-old winger's right ankle last year, next week to determine how close he is to playing.
"I'm not a doctor, but I can say that I'm feeling better all the time," Ronaldo said. "I've already started to run and next week I hope to be with the squad, but we will have to wait to see what happens. I'm anxious because I cannot play and this is what I like most."
Ronaldo has already missed nine games since being injured in a 3-0 Champions League win over Marseille. He aggravated the injury playing for Portugal on Oct. 10 and hasn't returned since, also being ruled out of Portugal's two-leg World Cup playoff against Bosnia-Herzegovina, which begins Saturday.
Ronaldo said Madrid had to focus on the league and Europe even more now that it had been knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Alcorcon, a Spanish club that sits two divisions below it.
"Football sometimes gives up surprises," Ronaldo said. "We have to keep on working as we have been up to now and keep thinking about wining the league and the Champions (League)."
Madrid trails Barcelona by one point in the Spanish league standings and is tied with AC Milan at the top of its group in the Champions League.
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2009-11-13 16:36:12
