Cristiano Ronaldo embarks on his first game after being awarded the FIFA Ballon d'Or when Osasuna host Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey on Wednesday.
Where to Watch Live
The game is scheduled for a 9.30 pm local time (2 am IST) start with live coverage on Ten Action and Ten HD in India. Unfortunately, there is no official live streaming option in India, but the match can be live streamed in the US HERE. Sky Sports 1 will provide live coverage in the UK with the live streaming option HERE. Live stream the match in North Africa and the Middle East HERE
Ronaldo was over the moon to finally win his second World Player of the Year award on Monday and will be buzzing when he comes up against Osasuna in the second leg.
"It's a great day because we have congratulated Cristiano Ronaldo on a well-deserved award," Real manager Carlo Ancelotti said. "The Real Madrid family must be delighted and he certainly is because he has worked very hard to win it.
"The Ballon d'Or was a major inspiration for him this year and it will be again next year. It gives him more responsibility because you can ask for even more from a Ballon d'Or winner, although that would not easy given what he has already achieved, but I am brave enough to ask him. He really enjoys what he does and he puts a lot of work into being the best. It's an award for all his work."
Real won the first leg of the Copa Del Rey last 16 tie against Osasuna 2-0, thanks to goals from Karim Benzema and Jese Rodriguez, but despite holding a sound advantage, Ancelotti is not taking progress as a foregone conclusion.
"The team are focused and up for the game," Ancelotti said. "Everyone knows how tough it is to play there. It will be a very intense game and our opponents will do everything they can to get through to the next round. We shouldn't think that we hold an advantage and we have to try to score as soon as possible."
Osasuna pulled off an impressive 2-1 win at Real Betis in La Liga at the weekend, but breaching the Real fort will be considerably more difficult with the Spanish giants yet to concede in three games this calendar year.
"It's started well, but we have to keep working hard because problems can arise at any time," Ancelotti said of Real's three-match unbeaten run since the turn of the year. "The two central defenders are playing really well and [Sergio] Ramos has begun the year with great focus and strength. The improvement is also down to them."
Raphael Varane is set to miss out again for Real, but Fabio Coentrao, who has been heavily linked with a January move to Manchester United, will feature with Marcelo set to be rested.
"[Varane] is carrying out an individual work programme and this week he is doing everything required to be able to train with the team next week," the Italian added. "He has the potential to be the next Thiago Silva or Ramos. The first thing he has to do is completely recover from his injury.
"[Coentrao] is feeling fine and tomorrow [Wednesday] he will be named in the squad and will play. He has been working well for a fortnight now and he is looking forward to playing. He will be ready to play tomorrow. Marcelo is rested for tomorrow because he is feeling a tad jaded."
