Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti insisted he was not concerned by an injury that forced Cristiano Ronaldo to be withdrawn 10 minutes from time as his side edged towards the Champions League semi-finals with a 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.
The Portuguese scored a record-equalling 14th Champions League goal of the season to all but seal Real’s place in the last four after first-half strikes from Gareth Bale and Isco had put Los Blancos in command.
However, uncharacteristically, Ronaldo didn’t finish the 90 minutes as he was forced off by a minor knee injury that has bothered him for the last couple of weeks.
“We will wait and see what the problem is, but at the moment we are not worried. We are not thinking about giving him a rest,” said Italian Ancelotti, suggesting Ronaldo will start Saturday’s crucial La Liga visit to Real Sociedad.
Ancelotti insisted that his side still have work to do next week at the Westfalenstadion to progress to the last four, but was enthused by the balance his side showed between defence and attack.
“We know Dortmund will do everything to come back, that is normal.
“We need to be careful and play our own game. If we play in the same way we did tonight then we will reach the semi-finals.
“In the first-half we pressured well high up the field and were efficient in front of goal.
“Due to the intensity of our play in the first-half we took a step back in the second, but that allowed us to play more on the counter-attack and find space.”
Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp was left to rue his side’s inability to take their opportunities as they created plenty of openings after the break, but too often took the wrong option with their final ball.
“There are many things we can learn. You have to do the right tactical things against the best teams in the world so that they can’t do what they want. That was the problem tonight,” he said.
“There are always different reasons why you lose the game and tonight it is pretty clear why. We were not cool enough in the box and that was the problem because we had the chances to score four or five goals.”
Dortmund started the game with just four of the side beat Real 4-1 at home on their way to knocking out the nine-time winners in last season’s semi-final.
And Klopp underlined the difference that Madrid’s financial power in the transfer market had made to the two sides over the past 12 months.
“They are good at counting here,” he said with a wry smile.
“They signed (Asier) Illarramendi, Isco, Bale and I don’t think they lost any, maybe (Mesut) Ozil.
“Their second and third goals were very well executed and you cannot regulate for everything.
“The difference in quality is not so big as everyone thinks it is, but Real Madrid can buy 12 more players and that is the way things are.”
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