Al Nassr face a daunting challenge for Matchday 21 of the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League season as they host Al Ittihad in a crucial duel to close the gap on league leaders Al Hilal. However, for this high-stakes fixture, the home side will again be without Cristiano Ronaldo, who remains sidelined due to off-pitch matters.
According to reports from ESPN, Ronaldo will not feature against Al Ittihad as he continues his protest against the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). The Portuguese forward was also absent from Al Nassrās recent 1-0 victory over Al Riyadh, which marked the beginning of his strike against the financial entity.
Despite being fully fit and having no issues with manager Jorge Jesus or anyone within the Al Nassr campāhaving trained with the squad all weekāRonaldo remains firm in his decision not to play. The forward is reportedly pointing to unequal management by the PIF across their portfolio of clubs, alleging that Al Hilal receive preferential treatment.
The suspension of Al Nassrās Portuguese executives, Sporting Director Simao Coutinho and General Manager Jose Semedo, has hindered the clubās ability to secure high-profile reinforcements. This lack of movement in the transfer market has fueled Ronaldoās frustration with the PIF leadership.
Cristiano Ronaldo during a game with Al Nassr. (Getty Images)
Finally, the high-profile transfer of Karim Benzema to Al Hilalāthe league leaders and Al Nassrās direct rivalsāhas prompted the Portuguese star to take individual action to demonstrate his dissatisfaction with the current landscape.
The Saudi Pro League issues an official statement
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Amid the growing controversy, the Saudi Pro League issued a formal statement on Thursday, addressing the situation and clarifying the leagueās operational structure.
āThe Saudi Pro League is built upon a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same set of rules. The clubs have their own boards of directors, their own executives, and their own football leadershipā¦ā the official statement began. Furthermore, the release specifically addressed Ronaldoās discontent.
āā¦Cristiano has been fully committed to Al Nassr since his arrival and has played a fundamental role in the growth and ambition of the club. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win. But no individual, however important, makes decisions beyond their own clubā¦ā the league stated, specifically targeting the Portuguese starās public grievances.
āā¦The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, the title race is very much alive. That level of balance reflects a system that is working as intended. The focus remains on the footballāon the pitch, where it belongsāand on maintaining a credible, competitive competition for players and fans,ā the league concluded.
