Cristiano Ronaldo was forced out of Wednesday’s game with what we speculated was a foot injury. According to Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti, the problem is actually Ronaldo’s knee, an ailment that the Merengues boss expressed no concern about after his team’s 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabéu.
After scoring his record 14th goal of the tournament, Ronaldo was hurt as he slipped in the Dortmund half with around 15 minutes to play. After initially trying to continue through the game’s final quarter-hour, Ronaldo sat on the pitch to stop play before Casemiro took his place. He was able to leave the field under his own power.
Speaking to the media after the match, Ancelotti confirmed the nature of his star’s injury while also hinting Ronaldo’s removal was purely precautionary. From Madrid-based reporter Dermot Corrigan:
Ancelotti: “Cristiano has a small problem with his knee, but I am not too concerned about it.”
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) April 2, 2014
More from Ancelotti on Ronaldo: "We will see. If issue continues, naturally we will give him a rest. But no problem for the moment."
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) April 2, 2014
Ronaldo will surely be reevaluated over the new games, but in light of Ancelotti’s assessment, it seems unlikely the reigning Ballon d’Or winner will miss next week’s leg in Dortmund. The extent to which he’ll even be needed is debatable, with his team’s three-goal edge leaving Real Madrid on the brink of the club’s fourth-straight semifinal.