Soccer betting fans need not worry over Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s injury scare during practice yesterday. According to Ronaldo he “had a small problem in the training session” but will be at his “best level” for the UEFA Champions League Finals versus Atlético Madrid regardless. The Portuguese star left practice early under his own power after colliding with should-be-starting-goalkeeper-instead-of-you-know-who Kiko Casilla. Perhaps they were recreating Draymond Green’s low blow of Steve Addams – though thankfully it was Ronaldo’s thigh that took the brunt of the clash. However, doctors quickly dismissed any potential injuries.
People who bet on soccer know Cristiano ain’t sweating that. It would have been an entirely different story if a single strand of his impossibly symmetrical hairdo had fallen out of place. But such tragedies are only reserved for the truly wicked, such as Ronaldo’s teammate and undeserving starting goalkeeper. Not only is CR7 safe and sound, but he’s in better shape than two years ago when Real Madrid mercilessly blew Atlético to Kingdom Come 4-1 to win their 10th UEFA Champions League title. Ronaldo has scored more than 50 goals in all competitions for a fifth consecutive season, including 16 in the UCL – one shy the record he set, once again against Atlético.
Real Madrid manager – World Cup champion and head-butter extraordinaire – Zinedine Zidane is also confident that Ronaldo will be in tiptop shape for the Champions League match on Saturday, and that should reassure soccer betting fans. Zidane also took the time to praise his Atlético counterpart and Argentine football great Diego ‘El Cholo’ Simeone. According to the Frenchman, Simeone has everything that a coach needs but above all, he knows his team and his players well, which is the most important thing. And while all that and more is true of Simeone, people who bet on soccer should recognize Zidane’s flawless track record – well, not counting his attempt to cave Marco Materazzi’s chest in.
Real Madrid have won 21 out of 26 games while scoring 71 goals and giving away 18 since Zidane took over from Rafa Benitez in January. If all goes according to soccer betting forecasts Zidane could become the seventh man to win the European Cup as a player and a coach this Saturday.In the final in Glasgow in 2002 Zidane shot a volley that traced an elliptical parabola in the air before settling where, as Latin America soccer fans like to put it, spiders weave their webs in Bayer Leverkusen’s Hans-Jorg Butt’s goal to help Real win their 9th UCL cup. Moreover, Zidane was assistant to Real coach Carlo Ancelotti when Los Blancos, as mentioned above, obliterated Atlético 4-1 in extra time in the final two years ago.