Zinedine Zidane hopeful on Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema fitness

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has said that he believes attacking duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema will be fit to play a part in next week's Champions League return tie against Manchester City.

Both players missed the goalless first leg at the Etihad last Tuesday, as well as Saturday afternoon's narrow win over Real Sociedad which kept Los Blancos' La Liga title hopes on course.

However, Zidane has provided a positive injury update ahead of the crucial second-leg showdown in four days' time, while director Emilio Butragueno has also moved to back the club's medical staff following a rumoured falling-out behind the scenes.

"In my head, I think that they will be ready," the Frenchman is quoted as saying by FourFourTwo. "I didn't name the lineup thinking about Wednesday with Isco or Jese [Rodriguez]. I thought that I had to make some changes [against Sociedad]."

Butragueno added: "Our confidence [in the medical team] is total. The most important thing is the game on Wednesday. We only think about that and about getting to the final.

"There are still a few days to go. Hopefully all the injured players can be ready for such an important game. City will make things difficult. The crowd will be a decisive force for our players. I'm sure they will help us. It's a massive game."

The third member of Madrid's famed 'BBC' frontline, Gareth Bale, scored the only goal of the game in his attacking teammates' absence in the win at Sociedad.