After more than two weeks away from competitive action, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to make his long-awaited return to the pitch when Al Nassr travel to face Al Fateh in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, February 14.
The 41-year-old Portuguese star had not featured for Al Nassr since the club’s victory over Al Kholood in late January, sitting out matches against Al Riyadh and Al Ittihad amid reported tensions with the Public Investment Fund. The standoff, which dominated headlines across Saudi football for days, appeared to reach a resolution earlier this week when Ronaldo was photographed back at the club’s training ground in Riyadh.
Head coach Jorge Jesus addressed the situation during a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s AFC Champions League Two match against Turkmenistan’s FK Arkadag. While confirming Ronaldo would not travel with the squad for the continental fixture, Jesus framed the decision as routine rather than extraordinary.
“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,” Jesus said. “Resting Cristiano for this match is nothing new. The player often does not take part in matches played outside Saudi Arabia.”
Al Nassr entered the week in formidable form, sitting second in the Saudi Pro League table with 49 points from 21 matches, just one point behind leaders Al Hilal. The club extended their winning run to seven consecutive matches with a comfortable victory over Al Ittihad, even without their talismanic forward.
The absence of Ronaldo has done little to slow the team’s momentum, but his return against Al Fateh will be a significant boost as the title race enters its most critical phase. Ronaldo remains the league’s top scorer with 17 goals in 18 appearances and is firmly in contention for the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot.
Jesus himself is reportedly weighing his own future at the club. Portuguese media have reported that the veteran coach has conditioned any contract renewal on the continued presence of Ronaldo, underscoring the deep professional bond between the two compatriots.
Saturday’s match at the Al Fateh Club Stadium in Al Hofuf presents a favorable fixture for Al Nassr. Al Fateh have won just six of their 20 league matches this season and have failed to secure a victory in their last six outings. Al Nassr, by contrast, have won 23 of 37 all-time meetings between the sides.
With Al Hilal looking over their shoulder, every point matters for Jorge Jesus and his squad. Ronaldo’s return could not come at a more critical juncture in what is shaping up to be one of the most tightly contested Saudi Pro League title races in recent memory.
