Cristiano Ronaldo did not play in Friday’s match against Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League, missing his second consecutive match against Al Nasr.
Ronaldo returned to training this week with his Al Nasr teammates, but was not included in the match-day squad named by coach Jorge Jesus.
The Portuguese forward is continuing his solo protest following news that Saudi football officials are losing patience with the 41-year-old.
Officials are hoping Ronaldo will make his case by missing Al Nasr’s game against Al Riyadh on Monday, and Friday’s game, which he had asked to return to the pitch for, will be too big to miss.
They believe Ronaldo’s protests are damaging the image of the Saudi Professional League and the Saudi 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.
The result moved them to second place in the Saudi Pro League, one point behind leaders Al Hilal.
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 believed Al Hilal were 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.
Ronaldo missed Al Nasr’s second game in a row
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’s 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 on Thursday as Al Hilal defeated Al Ahdud 6-0 and increased their lead over third-placed Al Nasr to four points in the SPL.
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Watch Karim Benzema’s stunning hat-trick on his debut for Al Hilal against Al Ahdoud in the Saudi Pro League.
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 may be the face of the SPL, but the league issued a statement on Thursday night reaffirming that he 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.”
