Zinedine Zidane: Real Madrid won't sell Cristiano Ronaldo

Ahead of the second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie with Roma at the Bernabeu, the Los Blancos coach was quick to point out that no amount of abuse directed at Ronaldo from the stands will convince him to agree to flog the club's record goalscorer, a figure with 335 goals in 352 games for the 10-times European champions.

Madrid hold a 2-0 lead from the first leg at Rome's Stadio Olimpico three weeks ago.

“I'm not in favour for selling him. I am the coach and I want him," said Zidane. "They whistled at me, at everyone.

"It's not a question of any player in particular, it's the fans who want more from their players and this is better for the players trying to make them always do their best.

"The fans really love their players in the end and this is very important.

"The stadium is always full and this means a lot."

Zidane says Real Madrid will play for the win rather than trying to protect their two-goal advantage from the first leg.

The 1998 France World Cup winner says Gareth Bale is a player "who gives everything" ahead of the meeting with Roma.

“He's prepared and ready to play. That the most important thing. The players who play have to do their job," said the former Madrid midfielder.

"The players know what they have to do on the field. There’s one idea, it's the same, it's to always defend when we don't have the ball and try to do damage when we have it. It will be difficult to pick the team tomorrow but its better having all your players available."

Sounds like it. If Madrid decide to go ahead with the sale of their most prized asset this summer, it does not sound like it will be Zidane's doing. At the age of 31, there has been intense speculation that Madrid might look to cash in on a figure they paid £80m to land seven years ago. If Zidane is hoping to build a side capable of challenging Barcelona for success in Spain and Europe, you simply don't flog the family jewels. Ronaldo netted four times in 26 minutes in the crushing 7-1 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday. He is up to 27 Liga goals this season. Selling Ronaldo in such form does not seem to make any sense for a team who will consider the Champions League as viable target. An offer of over £50m might be tempting, but who would you bring in as an adequate replacement when Ronaldo's legs are hardly creaking? There is nobody around who appears up to the task.