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Ronaldo aiming to return before Barca showdown

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-11-13 11:26

MADRID - Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is aiming to return from an ankle injury before the La Liga club play champions and arch rivals Barcelona on Nov. 29.

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo undergoes a medical inspection in Lisbon November 10, 2009. Ronaldo will miss the two-legged World Cup playoff soccer match against Bosnia, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) said in a statement on Tuesday. [Agencies]

"There are matches before then, against Racing Santander (in La Liga) and FC Zurich (in the Champions League), that are very important," Ronaldo said at the presentation of Real's new sponsorship deal with Saudi Telecom (STC) on Thursday.

"To be able to play against Barcelona would be the best and of course I want to be fit for this game but I want to come back sooner."

Ronaldo suffered the injury in late September and aggravated it in Portugal's 3-0 win over Hungary 10 days later. He has not played since.