Cristiano Ronaldo did not participate in his third straight match for Al Nassr, which secured a 1-0 win over Arkadag FC in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Two round of 16. The Portuguese superstar is preparing for a likely return to action in the Saudi Pro League this upcoming Saturday.
Sources have informed ESPN that Ronaldo has chosen to end his boycott of Al Nassr matches and intends to make his comeback for the matchup against Al Fateh on February 14.
The 41-year-old forward has been seen training alongside his teammates in Riyadh, as documented in a social media post by Al Nassr on Wednesday morning.
According to sources, Ronaldo missed two matches for the Saudi Pro League team due to dissatisfaction with the PIF (Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia) and its transfer strategy for his club.
Abdullah Al-Hamdan scored the sole goal of the match in this second-tier Asian competition, giving Al Nassr an advantage ahead of the return leg next week in Riyadh.
In the Asian Champions League Elite, Asia’s top club tournament, Algeria international Houssem Aouar netted a hat trick as Al-Ittihad demolished Al-Gharafa 7-0 in a critical group stage match. This victory ensured the two-time champions advanced alongside Al Ahli and Al Hilal to the round of 16.
This report incorporates information from The Associated Press and PA.