Cristiano Ronaldo was been left out of the Al Nassr match against Al Akhdoud on Monday (May 12) in the Saudi Pro League.
Al Nassr are up against Akhdoud in an important league match and they were without their talismanic captain.
Ronaldo has been a prolific player for the Saudi club this year and has been among goals for them. In total, the Portugal international has netted 33 goals across all competitions, 23 of which came in the league.
But as Stefano Pioli left the Al Nassr captain out of the squad, the concerns arose regarding his fitness among fans.
Why is Cristiano Ronaldo not playing for Al Nassr?
Head coach Stefano Pioli confirmed in the pre-match press conference that Ronaldo would not feature against Al-Akhdoud, explaining that the club needed to rest key players after an intense period of fixtures.
According to reports, the official reason for his absence was physical fatigue, a claim corroborated by sources close to Al-Nassr’s technical staff, who noted that Ronaldo did not train over the weekend and spent time under medical observation. Media personality Ali Alabdallh (via Al-Nassr Zone) noted that Ronaldo, who has failed to score in his last two league matches, was rested to manage his workload following a demanding schedule and subpar team performances.
When will Cristiano Ronaldo Return?
Although nothing is confirmed, Cristiano Ronaldo may return soon if he gains full fitness. Al Nassr have three matches remaining to the season and if Ronaldo finds full fitness, he may return for the next match against Al Taawoun on May 16.
The 40-year-old has been tipped with a move away from Al Nassr at the end of the season as well. After two and a half years with the Knights of Najd, the former Real Madrid man may be on his way to move out for a new venture.