Al Nasr expect Cristiano Ronaldo to end his strike and play again on Saturday.
The 41-year-old is unhappy with the way Al Nasr are being run and has missed the last two matches in the Saudi Professional League (SPL).
With the confirmation, Ronaldo is expected to return for Saturday’s SPL match in Al Fateh.
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Sadio Mane contributed to Al Nasr’s victory against Al Ittihad in Ronaldo’s absence
Before that match, Al Nasr will play the second Asian Champions League match against Al-Qadag in Turkmenistan on Wednesday.
The Portuguese captain did not play in Friday’s Saudi Pro League home match against Al Ittihad and has missed Al Nasr’s last two matches.
Ronaldo returned to training last week with his Al Nasr teammates, but was not included in the match-day squad named by coach Jorge Jesus.
Officials had previously hoped that Ronaldo would succeed in his claim by missing Al Nasr’s game against Al Riyadh last Monday, and that Friday’s match would be too much to miss as it prompted Ronaldo to return to the pitch.
They believe Ronaldo’s protests have tarnished the image of the SPL and the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund. The SPL issued a public warning to the player ahead of Friday’s match.
However, Al Nasr won their second consecutive game, beating Al Ittihad 2-0 without Ronaldo, thanks to goals from Sadio Mane and Angelo Gabriel.
Why did Ronaldo go on strike?
Ronaldo is unhappy with the way Al Nasr is being run
Ronaldo feels his club Al Nasr is not as financially supported as title rivals Al Hilal. Both clubs are majority owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The forward believes Al Hilal are being given preferential treatment and was particularly upset that they strengthened their squad by bringing in players such as Karim Benzema during the January period.
SPL believes that the league is a fair fight and that there is still everything left in this season. The funding provided by the league is clear and fair across all PIF clubs. If Al Nasr were inactive in January, it is because they have already spent £100m this season.
Financial regulations and league funding through the Player Acquisition Center of Excellence are designed to maintain integrity and ensure leagues and clubs are sustainable and competitive.
Benzema scored a hat-trick on his debut last Thursday as Al Hilal defeated Al Ahdud 6-0.
Saudi officials are surprised that Ronaldo is unhappy despite reportedly earning £500,000 a day.
He has 18 months left on his contract but has a £43m (€50m) summer release clause, despite turning 41 on Thursday.
What did SPL say to Ronaldo?
Ronaldo could return for Al Nasr on Saturday
Ronaldo may be the face of the SPL, but the league issued a statement last Thursday reaffirming that Ronaldo has no say in what happens at clubs other than his own, hitting back at the Portuguese star.
“The Saudi Professional League is built on the simple principle that all clubs operate independently under the same rules,” a league spokesperson said.
“Clubs have their own boards, their own management teams and their own football leaders. Decisions about recruitment, spending and strategy are left to those clubs within a financial framework designed to ensure a balance between sustainability and competitiveness. That framework applies equally across the league.”
“Cristiano has been fully involved with Al Nasr since joining and has played a key role in the club’s growth and ambitions. Like any elite athlete, he wants to win. But no one, no matter how important, can make decisions beyond his own club.
“Recent transfer activity clearly shows that independence. One club strengthened in a certain way, another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions taken within the approved financial terms.”
“The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, there is a very strong competition for the title. This level of balance reflects that the system is working as intended.”
“The focus remains on football, on the pitch where it belongs, and on maintaining credible and competitive competition for players and fans.”
