Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo this Wednesday missed his side' s first training session following their 5-0 drubbing in the Camp Nou stadium on Monday night.
The Portuguese international, who has scored 14 goals in the BBVA Primera Liga this season, is suffering from an ankle problem which would not permit him to train with the rest of his companions.
Indeed, Ronaldo' s presence in Saturday' s league match at home to Valencia is far from assured after the club issued a medical statement confirming that he has suffered a heavy knock on his right ankle which requires both physiotherapy and medical treatment.
The club confirms that they will be keeping an eye on Ronaldo' s progress in the next 24-48 hours. With the Valencia match just three days away, that means it will be close run to see if he can recover in time for a game where his side will look to recover their lost pride following Monday' s humiliation.
Meanwhile Gonzalo Higuain is undergoing tests to see if he will need surgery to cure a lumbar hernia, which kept him sidelined on Monday night.