Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini has declared that his team have proven their ability to cope without star forward Cristiano Ronaldo as they lead their Champions League group and the Primera Liga on the eve of his return to action.

Ronaldo has been out of action for one day shy of eight weeks and in that period Madrid have managed to assume the lead in the domestic title race with champions Barcelona slipping to second going into El Clasico at Camp Nou at the weekend.

"You cannot but feel the absence of a player of the level of Cristiano Ronaldo. I have answered this question many times. He's a player who has helped us greatly, but without him we have made ourselves leaders. No team can depend on a single player," he declared.

"Without Cristiano we are first in the Primera Liga and the Champions League."

Pellegrini said that he is not thinking about El Clasico at the moment and is focussed on the Champions League as there is still work to do.

"We think only about Zurich. Getting to the top of the group is important but not decisive, but I prefer to play the second game at home but we have not yet qualified," he noted.