Ronaldo in line to face Russia

Ronaldo has a shoulder injury and Pepe a thigh strain.

On Wednesday, both took part in their first training session since picking up the injuries while helping Real Madrid earn a 2-2 draw with Barcelona at the weekend. Both also trained alone, however.

"I think Ronaldo has a better chance of playing in the match on Friday than I do, but we both want to be there to help Portugal," said Pepe after his work-out.

The match is a table-topper for European zone Group F, as both teams have two wins from two matches.

"It's a big match for us, but not a crucial one. It's always good to beat your main rivals, but avoiding defeat would also be a positive result for us," said Pepe.

Valencia right-back Joao Pereira also reported for international duty nursing a light injury, but was back in full training on Wednesday.