SPL: Without Cristiano Ronaldo, Al Nassr signs Al-Riyadh
On strike and absent for the match against Al Riyadh, Cristiano Ronaldo watched Al-Nassr win without him thanks to Sadio Mané and reclaim the top of the Saudi league.
Cristiano Ronaldo drew attention with his absence on Monday in the Al-Nassr vs Al Riyadh match, a bold move that nevertheless did not prevent his team from winning and taking back control of the Saudi championship. Not named in the squad for this Saudi Pro League fixture, the Portuguese forward refused to play in order to express his disagreement with his club’s sporting policy on the transfer market. Behind the scenes, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would reproach Al-Nassr for a lack of ambition in light of the massive recruitment by his great rival Al-Hilal, particularly active in recent weeks.
Despite this lack of impact, the Saudi side showed resilience. Fueled by a decisive goal from Sadio Mané, Al-Nassr won by the narrowest of margins (1-0), a valuable victory in the title race. With this win, Al-Nassr temporarily takes back the league lead with 46 points, level with Al-Hilal, ahead of the highly anticipated clash between the latter and Al-Ahli (3rd, 43 points). A matchup that could shake up the title race more than ever. If the field has smiled on Al-Nassr, the Cristiano Ronaldo saga continues to fuel debates, as the club’s sporting ambitions and the star’s expectations seem to be diverging.
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