Ronaldo happy to hit 100-goal milestone – Zidane

by Ryland JAMES

Ronaldo, the four-time world player of the year, volleyed Real level at the Allianz Arena, then reached his milestone by slotting home the winner 13 minutes from time in the first-leg with the return on Tuesday in Madrid.

“He was happy of course, but he wasn’t too happy as he had chances to score more goals,” said Real’s coach Zidane.

“We’re all content, because it’s never easy to win at Bayern.”

Ronaldo said it was a moment to savour.

“I wanted to reach this record. To be able to reach this mark is an honour and against a team like Bayern it is even better,” the Portugal skipper told BeIN Sport Spain.

Arturo Vidal headed Bayern into the lead, but then skied a penalty attempt on the stroke of half-time before Ronaldo volleyed the defending champions’ level after the break.

Bayern played the last half an hour a man down after centre-back Javi Martinez was sent off for two fouls on Ronaldo within three minutes of each other.

Real pressed home the numerical advantage as Ronaldo tapped the ball between the legs of Bayern’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for the winner on 77 minutes.

Zidane warns the slender lead may not be enough in Madrid in the Spaniards’ bid to become the first club to defend the Champions League title.

Bayern hope to have top-scorer Robert Lewandowski fit having missed the Munich match with a bruised shoulder.

“You never decide a tie like this in the first-leg, but we created our chances and we could have scored more goals,” said Zidane.

“We’re happy with the game we played. We showed patience and we showed the willingness to get the right result.

“Even another goal would not have made that much difference. We’ll have to see if the one goal lead is enough.”

The Frenchman is hoping Welsh winger Gareth Bale will be fit for the return having gone off in the second-half Munich with a leg injury.

“Gareth felt something at half-time and I didn’t want to take any risks, he didn’t feel very well, we hope it’s nothing major, nothing big,” said Zidane.

The Real coach said his side were lucky to have only been a goal down at the break after Vidal’s penalty miss.

“We could have been 2-0 down at half-time, which could have changed the match, but we managed to show some patience and get the equaliser,” said Zidane.

“It was a different game after the break, we showed more personality and stole some ball off Bayern. Their goalkeeper made a lot of saves.

“We played 11 against 10 for the last 30 minutes and had a lot of possession which changed the match and the result.”

Madrid captain Sergio Ramos echoed Zidane’s sentiments that nothing is decided.

“It was an important step in the tie, but there is still the return to come against a great team that is one of the favourites to win the Champions League,” said Ramos.