Cristiano Ronaldo was again absent from Al-Nassr’s squad on Friday—and it seems that dissatisfaction with his club’s transfer policy is not the only decisive factor.
The latest reports suggest that Cristiano Ronaldo is refusing to play for Al-Nassr because he is unhappy that his club did not strengthen its squad sufficiently in the winter transfer window. The 41-year-old was already absent from Monday’s away game at Al-Riyadh. According to A Bola, reports that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was injured were not accurate. On Wednesday, the superstar posted pictures from training, but on Thursday it was announced that he would not be playing in Friday’s game at Al-Nassr either. That is now the case. CR7 is completely absent from Al-Ittihad’s squad.
It’s apparently not just about transfers
According to information from A Bola, the reason for his strike is not only his dissatisfaction with his club’s transfer policy, but also outstanding salaries – and as long as nothing changes, the captain of the Portuguese national team will continue his protest and will not play.
However, this is not just about money that the club owes him personally, but rather that there continue to be significant delays in the payment of salaries to players, staff, and employees of the club in general. This is not the case at other Saudi clubs that are also owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), such as Al Hilal.
Clear words directed at CR7
On Thursday, an official statement was issued directed at Cristiano Ronaldo, which was very clear. On the one hand, it emphasized that “the clubs have their own boards, their own managers and their own football management. Decisions on new signings, spending, and strategies are made by these clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance.” In other words, the PIF emphasized that it has nothing to do with the day-to-day business of the clubs. “Cristiano has been fully committed to Al-Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club’s growth and ambitions, but no individual, however significant, makes decisions that go beyond his own club.”
It now remains to be seen how Al-Nassr will react to the renewed absence of its own superstar. Incidentally, Al-Nassr won 2-0 against Al-Ittihad without its star striker. Former Bayern pro Sadio Mané (84th minute/penalty) and Brazilian Angelo (90+8) scored the goals. CR7 once again received support from the fans during the game, with spectators holding up posters with his jersey number 7 in the seventh minute of the game, showing their solidarity with the Portuguese player.
