Ronaldo and Bale; Key Pieces for the Champions Final

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is confident Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale will be fit for this weekend's Champions League final against Atletico Madrid, but is less certain about Karim Benzema and Pepe.

None of the quartet took took part in full squad training on Tuesday, with Ronaldo exercising on his own out on the pitches at Valdebebas while Bale, Pepe and Benzema trained alongside long-term injury victim Jese indoors.

Ronaldo had been due to start Madrid's final Primera Division game of the season at home to Espanyol on Saturday after recovering from a hamstring injury but ended up sitting out the match after complaining of discomfort in the warm-up.

Pepe did not feature either against Espanyol as he continued to recover from a calf injury while Benzema was replaced during the second half of the 3-1 win with an adductor problem.  Bale did play the full 90 minutes, though.

When asked about the fitness situation on Tuesday, Ancelotti revealed his only serious concerns were Pepe and Benzema.

He said: "They're the only two players about whom we have doubts. I'm neither optimistic nor pessimistic. I'm a realist and, as things stand right now, of course they wouldn't be able to play.

"We have four days to the final and we'll wait and see. If Pepe can't play, (Raphael) Varane can play in his place.

"If there's a risk of injury it's best to leave them out."

On world-record signing Bale, who has scored 21 goals in his first season at the Bernabeu despite being affected by various injuries, Ancelotti said: "He's done specific work in the gym. He didn't need to come out on the pitch in today's session.

"There's no problem, and I think those two (Bale and Ronaldo) are going to be able to play.

"He had a problem initially, but when he found his best physical condition he was a very important player with good numbers in goals and assists. He's very important for the team and it will be the same in the final.

"He's very motivated because it's the first Champions League final in his career so I'm sure that he'll have a great game."

Ronaldo already has a Champions League winners medal under his belt from his time at Manchester United, but the Portugal captain would relish the chance to lead Madrid to what would be a long-awaited 10th European Cup crown.

Asked about his fitness at Tuesday's media open day, the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner: "I will be there on Saturday.

"I'm still not 100 per cent right now but I will be at the final. It's something very important, we work throughout the year to play in finals and win them.

"Nobody wants to miss a final that we've been searching for for many years. I want to help Real Madrid achieve it. I'm confident I'll be 100 per cent for the final."

"La Decima (the 10th) is the trophy that all Madridistas want. I signed for this club to win titles like that."

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/champions-league/2014/0520/618549-madrid-hopeful-on-bale-and-ronaldo-fitness/

Diego Costa may still make Champions League final

Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone has said he will give Diego Costa and Arda Turan every chance to prove their fitness ahead of the Champions League final against Real Madrid on Saturday.

Both players were forced off with injuries inside the first 25 minutes as Atlético claimed their first La Liga title in 18 years with a 1-1 draw away to Barcelona at the weekend.

Spanish media reported on Monday that Costa will miss the final after suffering the recurrence of a hamstring problem, whilst Turan has a hip injury.

"We are just starting the week. There are still a few days to go and we are not going to jump the gun because I think it is too early for such an important game, but we need the players to be in the right condition.

"We will wait to see how Costa and Arda recover until the end of the week and we will look for alternatives if they don't recover."

Atlético go into the game full of confidence having ended Real and Barcelona's 10-year domination of La Liga and having lost just twice in 10 meetings against the two this season.

However, Simeone played down the influence winning the league could have in Lisbon.

"Winning is always good, but you have to move on straight away. We need to be 100 per cent concentrated and I am sure the players will respond as they have always done in the biggest games."

Victory on Saturday would deliver the fifth trophy of a glorious two-and-a-half year spell since Simeone took over in December 2011.

Colombia Loses Top Scorer

Colombian striker Radamel Falcao will not recover in time from a knee injury to play in this summer's World Cup in Brazil, according to French sports daily L'Equipe, which said the physician for the Andean country's national squad will make the official announcement in the coming days.

The 28-year-old AS Monaco player tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Jan. 22 in a French Cup match and has not been able to speed along his recovery enough to compete for Colombia at soccer's premier showcase, which gets underway on June 12.

Citing sources at the French club, L'Equipe said the Colombian soccer federation is considering the best way to communicate the news about its star player, who may give a press conference in his homeland on Tuesday.

Monaco on Friday posted a photo on its Web site showing the player in uniform and practicing on the field under the headline "Falcao is training!" But L'Equipe said the image did not provide a true picture of the Colombian's condition.

Falcao's father had already said two days ago that the former Atletico Madrid star may not recover in time to represent his country in Brazil.

"Medically he's doing very well, but not soccer-wise," he said.

Since sustaining the injury during a match against a French third-division team, Falcao has been trying to beat doctors' projected recovery time of six months.

Colombia, which qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998 thanks in part to Falcao's play, is in Group C along with Greece, Japan and the Ivory Coast.

The Colombian striker left Atletico Madrid and signed a five-year deal with Monaco in May 2013.