Rafa Benitez has confirmed James Rodriguez's return from injury but refused to divulge whether the midfielder would feature against Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking at a Press conference ahead of Los Blancos' Champions League commitments, the Coach also touched on Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale's condition, Jese Rodriguez's recent form, speculation linking Cristiano Ronaldo with Tuesday's visitors, Pepe and Marcelo's importance and Raphael Varane's potential.
“[Karim Benzema's] on track, but him, [Alvaro] Arbeloa and [Gareth] Bale aren't in the list because they're not ready for a game like this, with so much intensity and responsibility,” he said at a Press conference.
“[On Jese Rodriguez], any player in the squad, providing they play and train well, has a chance of earning a regular place in the team.
“[On Ronaldo], no-one knows what will happen in the long run, but Cristiano is essential for us on Tuesday, in the following games and hopefully for many more years.
“Although he didn't want to comment, [Marcelo] is one of the best full-backs in the world.
“He offers us a pure attacking threat, gives us width, unbalances our opponents and chips in with goals.
“We're are a team who like to go forward, as seen in Vigo, when both of our full-backs scored.
“We give Marcelo complete freedom because he's a player who creates imbalance.
“Although I have a good relationship with all the players, one of whom I appreciate the most is Pepe.
“He understands his role, gives everything when he plays and still helps the team and the coaching staff when he doesn't. He's helping us to grow [as a team].
“We've always known about [Raphael] Varane's potential. You have to give credit to him.
“The only reason he doesn't play every game is due to competition, but there have been injuries to Pepe and [Sergio] Ramos.
“We must be happy with his growth, and we're happy and optimistic about his future.
“[James] is in the squad as he's feeling better. He lacks competitive pace but is available to us.
“If he stays fit and there aren't any problems then he'll remain in the squad for the game against Sevilla.
“If Colombia call him up, we won't stop him. I hope he scores a lot of goals and returns safely [for Colombia].”
