Ronaldo ‘fit’ for Champs final

MADRID — Cristiano Ronaldo played down fears over his fitness ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League final against Atletico Madrid Saturday after the three-time World Player of the Year limped off toward the end of training Tuesday. “I am fine. I had a little problem in training, a dead leg as they say here, but tomorrow or the next day I will be fine,” he said. Ronaldo will be aiming to break his own record of 17 Champions League goals in a season in Milan having already netted 16 in the competition so far this campaign. His 17th two years ago came in the final against Atletico as Real ran out 4-1 winner after extra-time. “It would be nice to equal or even pass the record, but I am not obsessed with that because the most important thing is to win,” he added. And Ronaldo insisted Real will show it is the king of the Spanish capital once more despite winning just once in 10 games against Atletico since lifting its 10th European Cup in Lisbon. “We will see who is the best. I am positive. I think Real are better than Atletico, but we have to show it on the pitch.” To do so Real must break down a rock solid Atletico defense that has kept 35 clean sheets in 56 games this season, including shutouts at home to Barcelona and Bayern Munich in dumping the Spanish and German champions out at the quarterfinal and semifinal stages respectively. Atletico also managed a 1-0 win at Real’s Santiago Bernabeu to inflict Real coach Zinedine Zidane’s only La Liga defeat in four months in charge when the sides last met in February. “Atletico always play the same way. We know there will be very few opportunities because they all play behind the ball,” continued Ronaldo. “It is no coincidence that Barca and Bayern couldn’t score many goals against them.” Ronaldo has been dogged by a persistent thigh injury which forced him to miss three games last month. Zidane confirmed Ronaldo also didn’t play in a practice match Saturday as a precaution, but expects him to be fully fit for the final. “There will be no problem. He felt something Saturday when we had a game between us and he didn’t play as a precaution,” said Zidane. “He will be ready for Saturday and I think we are in good shape physically.” Frankfurt stays in Bundesliga Eintracht Frankfurt kept its Bundesliga place and condemned Nuremberg to another season in the second tier after Haris Seferovic gave it a 1-0 away win in a tense relegation/promotion playoff Monday. The Swiss striker’s second-half goal, his first since November, earned Frankfurt a 2-1 aggregate win against the deflated host which had needed only a goalless draw to return to the top flight after two seasons. It was the eighth playoff, featuring the third-bottom Bundesliga team and third-placed second-tier side, since the system was introduced in the 2008-09 season and the sixth occasion that the Bundesliga team has survived.