UEFA Champions League: 'Real relief' as Benzema, Ronaldo declared fit, Toure ruled out for semifinal first leg

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane said that he expects both Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to face Manchester City in Champions League semi-final first leg.

Ronaldo did not feature in Saturday's 3-2 win at Rayo Vallecano after sustaining a thigh muscle strain in Madrid's previous game, while Benzema was forced off by a knee problem in the 42nd minute.

But both forwards made the journey to Manchester with the rest of the Madrid squad and while Zidane said they would both be assessed in training, he is confident that they will be able to play.

"The idea is that we want them to play tomorrow, of course," he told his pre-match press conference at City's Etihad Stadium.

"We have the last training session now, so we'll see.

They're absolutely fine at the moment. I think they'll be fine.

"They're 100 percent, but we'll test everything. The idea is that they'll play."

Ronaldo and Benzema were present for the part of the pre-match training session open to the media, warming up with the rest of the squad and taking part in a 'toro' ball possession exercise.

Ronaldo has scored 47 goals in all competitions this season and Benzema 27, with Gareth Bale's tally of 18 taking the trio's total haul to 92.

Ronaldo, formerly of City's sworn enemies Manchester United, needs one goal to equal his own record of 17 goals in a single Champions League campaign, which he set in 2013-14.

TOURE TROUBLE FOR CITY

Manchester City will be without their midfield powerhouse Yaya Toure in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final, first leg at home to Real Madrid after he failed to recover from a leg injury sustained at the weekend.

The Ivorian suffered a muscle injury in the 4-0 win over Stoke City on Saturday and will not feature against the 10-times European champions at the Etihad Stadium.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini said former Barcelona player Toure could also be struggling to make next week's second leg.

"Yaya is going to be out, I think. He hasn't recovered from the muscle injury," Pellegrini told a news conference on Monday.

"Tomorrow the two players not on the squad list are (Samir) Nasri, who is not registered, and Yaya who is injured."

City, playing their first European semi-final for 45 years, face the daunting task of containing a Real side who have won their last nine games in Spain's La Liga.

However, despite the threat posed by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, Pellegrini said he will send his players out to attack.

"We won't just try to defend to reach the final. I have always tried to have a team who play good football, play well," Pellegrini, who had a spell in charge of Real, said.

"The way we do it is just as important."

City were beaten by Real's arch-rivals Barcelona at the last-16 stage in the past two seasons, having a player sent off during the tie on both occasions.

Pellegrini said maintaining discipline would be key if they are to overcome Zinedine Zidane's side.

"We need a hot heart and a cold mind -- against Barcelona we played with one player less both times. It's very difficult with ten players. We need our emotions under control tomorrow."

While City must do without Toure, captain Vincent Kompany declared himself 100 percent fit having recovered from another calf muscle problem.

"Everything went well (in training) and, as always, unfortunately when you're injured you have to work a lot harder than the rest and that's what I did," he said.

(With inputs from Reuters)