Real Madrid’s Kaka (left) chats with Mahamadou Diarra (centre) and Cristiano Ronaldo during a training session in Madrid on Tuesday. (AFP)

Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo will make his return from a long injury layoff when Real Madrid play FC Zurich in the Champions League Wednesday. Real could improve their prospects of advancing from Group C to join Lyon, Bordeaux, Chelsea, Porto, Manchester United and Sevilla in the last 16 while AC Milan, too, have a good chance of making sure their progress.

Ronaldo has been out of action since Oct. 10 due to an ankle injury, but is set to play some part at Santiago Bernabeu as the Spanish leaders look to clinch a place in the knockout stages.

“Cristiano is in the squad,” coach Manuel Pellegrini said Tuesday. “He’s looked a lot looser in the last few trainings, so we’ll see how much he plays tomorrow.”

Real and AC Milan lead Group C with seven points, while Marseille have six and Zurich three. A Real victory would knock Zurich out, while a Milan win in the other group match would allow the two leaders to advance with a game to spare.

Real will welcome Ronaldo’s return to a disjointed team that has come under heavy criticism for its play. But Pellegrini’s side have managed well enough to be sitting atop the Spanish league table with Saturday’s 1-0 win over Racing Santander giving them a one-point advantage over defending champions Barcelona going into their “classico” on Sunday.

AC Milan, buoyed by Ronaldinho’s return to form, will sail into the Champions League knockout stages if they beat visiting Olympique Marseille on Wednesday.

A rollercoaster start to the campaign, marked by a shock home defeat by FC Zurich and a win at Real, has been followed by a steady improvement.

“For me it’s easy to be able to play with intelligent players like Marco Borriello and Alexandre Pato who understand what I can do for them on the pitch,” Ronaldinho told reporters.

Dimitar Berbatov could be in line to make his Manchester United comeback in against Besiktas at Old Trafford. Berbatov was able to train with his teammates Tuesday and Ferguson may consider letting him loose on Besiktas, who are currently without a win in the group.

Chelsea will finish top of Champions League Group D if they secure their first ever victory at Porto’s Stadium of the Dragon on Wednesday.

Both clubs have already qualified for the knockout round. Chelsea have 10 points from four games, one more than Porto, but the London club lost and drew in their previous two visits to the northern Portuguese city.

Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal’s job is already in danger ahead of a home match against Maccabi Haifa, while Juventus can qualify with a victory at Bordeaux.

Bayern need to beat Haifa and then Juventus in Turin in December and hope the Italians do not overcome Girondins Bordeaux this week.

Bayern, with only four points from four games, risk suffering an embarrassing and rare group stage exit. (AGENCIES)