Saudi Arabian football officials are losing patience with Cristiano Ronaldo as he considers extending his strike over funding concerns. The Saudi Pro League has issued a statement reaffirming that no individual determines decisions beyond their own club. According to Skysports.com.
Saudi officials lose patience as Ronaldo considers extending Al Nassr strike
Cristiano Ronaldo wants to continue his one-man protest by missing a second game despite being fully fit and training with his team-mates. The forward still feels his club Al Nassr are not being backed financially as much as their title rivals Al Hilal, with both clubs majority owned by The Public Investment Fund.
Ronaldo’s protest is harming the image of the Saudi Pro League and the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund. Officials are hoping Friday’s game against Al Ittihad will be too big for him to miss, and have urged him to return to the pitch after he was expected to feature.
The forward is convinced Al Hilal are getting preferential treatment and was particularly angry that they strengthened their squad by bringing in players such as Karim Benzema during the January window. Benzema scored a hat-trick on his debut as Al Hilal beat Al Akhdoud 6-0 to stretch their lead over third-placed Al Nassr to four points.
A senior official stated that fans in Saudi and around the world want to see Ronaldo back playing and competing as soon as possible. The officials are surprised that he is unhappy despite earning a reported £500,000 a day, and want him to play on Friday when Al Nassr could go top.
The Saudi Pro League issued a statement on Thursday evening firing back at the Portuguese star, emphasising that every club operates independently under the same rules. The league spokesperson confirmed that decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with individual clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance.
