Cristiano Ronaldo: Al Nassr expect Portugal captain to end strike and play on Saturday | soccer news

Al Nassr expects Cristiano Ronaldo to return to action on Saturday after ending his strike.

The 41-year-old has missed his side’s last two Saudi Professional League (SPL) matches as he is unhappy with Al Nasr’s management style.

Ronaldo is expected to return for Saturday’s SPL match at Al Fateh after receiving a guarantee.

Prior to the game, Al Nasr will face Arkadag in the second leg of the Asian Champions League on Wednesday in Turkmenistan.

The Portugal captain has been sidelined for Al Nasr’s last two games after missing the Saudi Pro League’s home win against Al Ittihad on Friday.

Ronaldo returned to training with his Al Nassr teammates last week but was not included in the matchday squad named by manager Jorge Jesus.

Officials had previously hoped Ronaldo would make his case by missing last Monday’s games against Al Nassr and Al Riyadh, with Friday’s game expected to be too big for Ronaldo to miss as they urged him to return to the pitch.

They believe Ronaldo’s protest is damaging the image of the SPL and the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund. The SPL issued a public warning to players ahead of Friday’s match.

However, Al Nasr won their second successive game without Ronaldo, beating Al Ittihad 2-0 thanks to goals from Sadio Mane and Angelo Gabriel.

Why did Ronaldo go on strike?

Ronaldo believes 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 striker is convinced Al Hilal are receiving preferential treatment and is particularly angry at them for signing the likes of Karim Benzema in the January transfer window to strengthen their squad.

The SPL believes the league is a fair fight and there are still games left to play this season. The funding provided by the league is clear and fair across all PIF clubs. If Al Nassr were inactive in January, it is because they have already spent £100 million this season.

Financial regulations and league funding through the Player Acquisition Center of Excellence are designed to maintain integrity and ensure that the league and clubs are sustainable and competitive.

Benzema scored a hat-trick on debut as Al Hilal beat Al Akhdoud 6-0 last Thursday.

Saudi officials were surprised that Ronaldo was in a bad mood despite earning £500,000 a day.

He has 18 months left on his contract but has a summer release clause of £43m (€50m). Even though he turned 41 on Thursday.

What did the SPL say to Ronaldo?

Ronaldo may be the face of the SPL, but the league hit back at the Portuguese star with a statement on Thursday reaffirming that he has no say in what happens at clubs other than his own.

“The Saudi Professional League is structured around the simple principle that all clubs operate independently and under the same rules,” a league spokesperson said.

“Clubs have their own boards, officers and football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy are made by those clubs within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. This framework applies equally across the league.

“Cristiano has been fully involved since Al Nassr joined and has played a key role in the club’s growth and ambitions. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win, but no individual, no matter how important, can make decisions outside of his own club.

“Recent transfer activity clearly demonstrates that independence. One club has stepped up in a certain way, while another has chosen a different approach – these are club decisions made within approved financial boundaries.

“The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, the title race is very active. This level of balance reflects that the system is working as intended.

“The focus is on maintaining credible, competitive competition for football, where it belongs, and for players and fans.”