Al Nassr coach Jorge Jesus reveals why Cristiano Ronaldo won’t return next match after SPL strike

With an AFC Champions League Two match up next, Al Nassr’s head coach revealed why Cristiano Ronaldo will not return to the team following his SPL boycott.

Cristiano Ronaldo appears to have reached common ground with the Saudi Pro League after reportedly agreeing to end his brief strike. However, with Al Nassr set to play an AFC Champions League Two match, head coach Jorge Jesus explained why the Portuguese star will still miss the upcoming fixture.

After sitting out Al Nassr’s last two matches amid tensions with the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Ronaldo has reportedly reached an agreement to return to both training and match action. Still, questions surfaced over whether he would feature against Turkmenistan’s FK Arkadag on Wednesday, February 11.

Speaking at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference, Jorge Jesus confirmed that Ronaldo will not be included in the squad for the AFC Champions League Two clash. “We decided to rest Cristiano Ronaldo and the main starting players due to the heavy match schedule and the upcoming important clash against Al Fateh,” he stated.

Addressing expectations of Ronaldo’s return after two consecutive absences, Jesus pointed to a familiar pattern behind the decision: “Resting Cristiano Ronaldo for this match is nothing new. The player often does not take part in matches played outside Saudi Arabia.“

With that clarification, attention now shifts to Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League matchup against Al Fateh, where Ronaldo is expected to return. After missing games against Al Riyadh, Al Ittihad, and now FK Arkadag, the Portuguese star is set to be back on Saturday, 15 days after his last appearance against Al Kholood in January.

Other stars to miss Al Nassr game

Ronaldo will not be the only notable absence for Al Nassr on Wednesday, as Jesus confirmed several other key players will also be rested. Among the high-profile names unavailable are Marcelo Brozović, Iñigo Martínez, João Félix, Kingsley Coman, Sadio Mané, and Mohamed Simakan.

Currently second in the Saudi Pro League with 49 points, one behind leaders Al Hilal, Al Nassr are prioritizing their league ambitions. The second leg of the Round of 16 against FK Arkadag will be played next Wednesday, February 18, at Al Awwal Park, where the availability of the club’s stars could depend on the outcome of the first leg.