Fans making the trip to the Big House in Ann Arbor for Saturday's pre-season friendly between European giants - and arguably the two biggest clubs in the world - Real Madrid and Manchester United got some disappointing news Friday.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that reigning Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo will not take part in the match as he continues to work his way back from the knee injury that hampered him at the World Cup in Brazil and has also kept him out of all the team's pre-season matches to date.
"Ronaldo is working hard but we won't put him out tomorrow,"Ancelotti said during a press conference. "He will begin training with the squad [in Spain] after the tour as we plan to use him in the Super Cup."
Los Blancos are set to play against fellow La Liga side Sevilla in the European Super Cup match on August 12, a contest that pits last season's Champions League winner against the Europa League victor.
While Saturday's contest against the Red Devils figures to be quite the spectacle - the 109,000-seat home of the Michigan Wolverines is sold out and is expected to set the record for the largest audience to ever watch a soccer game in the United States - it is just a friendly, and there is nothing to be gained by risking arguably the best player on earth before the season even begins.
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