Cristiano Ronaldo returns to a Copa squad after two years
Isco is also on the list for the match against Celta at the Bernabéu while Dani Carvajal gets a rest and James, Coentrao, Bale and Pepe remain injured.Portugal vs Switzerland
Cristiano Ronaldo has been included in Zinedine Zidane’s Copa del Rey squad for the opening leg at the Bernabéu, bringing to an end a two-year hiatus from the domestic cup competition.
Ronaldo's last appearance
The last time Ronaldo featured in the Copa del Rey was January 15, 2015 when Real faced Atlético in the last 16. Ronaldo came off the bench for James Rodríguez in the opening leg at the Calderón, where Atlético triumphed 2-0, and started the return leg, scoring Real’s second in a 2-2 draw that saw Diego Simeone’s side through to the quarter-finals.
Cheryshev blunder
Last season Ronaldo did not feature in the competition at all. He was left out of the match in Cádiz that would ultimately see Real disqualified after Rafa Benítez fielded Denis Cheryshev, who was ineligible after picking up a suspension the previous season while on loan at Villarreal.
Thus far this season Zidane has rested Ronaldo for the double-headers against Cultural Leonesa and Sevilla.
Also returning to the squad is Isco, who has recovered from an ankle problem but Dani Carvajal will be handed a well-earned rest for the first leg while Pepe, Fabio Coentrão, Gareth Bale and James are all absent through injury
Real squad for Celta Vigo
Keepers: Navas, Casilla, Yáñez.
Defenders: Ramos, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo, Danilo.
Midfielders: Kroos, Kovacic, Casemiro, Modric, Isco, Asensio.
Forwards: Ronaldo, Benzema, Vázquez, Mariano, Morata.