Cristiano Ronaldo: Real Madrid striker out of Champions League semi-final with Man City

Key player has failed a late fitness test

Cristiano Ronaldo (Getty)

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has failed a fitness test ahead of tonight’s Champions League semi-final first leg at Manchester City and will play no part.

He does not even make the bench for tonight's game.

The Portuguese forward missed the weekend league win at Rayo Vallecano with a thigh injury but had been expected to return for tonight’s match at the Etihad Stadium, a ground where he has scored and been shown a red card while wearing a Manchester United jersey.

Ronaldo has scored 16 goals in this season’s competition – as well as being the all-time top scorer in the European Cup – and is one away from equalling the record – which he set – of 17 goals by a single player in a single Champions League season.

Tonight’s match marks City’s first ever European Cup semi-final, with the second leg taking place at the Bernabeu next Wednesday.

Manchester City go into tonight’s match without Yaya Toure but with captain Vincent Kompany expected to return. They beat Stoke 4-0 in preparation on Saturday in the Premier League, while Real overturned a two-goal deficit at Vallecano to win 3-2, Gareth Bale scoring twice.