Cristiano Ronaldo ready for Real Madrid return - Zinedine Zidane

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says Cristiano Ronaldo is "very focused" on getting back to what he does best by playing in Wednesday's Champions League Group H opener at home to Apoel Nicosia.

The Portugal captain's only game for Madrid since being handed a five-game ban for pushing a referee during the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup was the 2-1 Bernabeu Trophy friendly win over Fiorentina, although he also played two World Cup 2018 qualifiers for his country.

At the news conference ahead of Wednesday's clash with Apoel, Zidane said that Ronaldo was physically and mentally raring to go despite his lack of action.

"Cristiano is very good, very focused on what he has to do," Zidane said. "He is very happy to be back playing, it is what he likes, what he wants to do more than anything else. We are happy to have him back, physically he is very fit, and mentally with all that has happened, all the talk, he is very good."

Zidane did not answer directly when asked if Madrid's recent La Liga draws with Levante and Valencia had shown that the team was still "dependent" on their 32-year-old star.

"Everyone knows who Cristiano is," he said. "I always prefer to have him with us, nothing more. We cannot talk about dependency, what I want is for all the players to be available for the coach. Cristiano does not bring just goals, he is an important member of the squad. He is a leader, who always wants to win, and transmits that to all the others. Every time he is with us, me as coach and the players as well, we are all happy.