Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Al-Nassr against Al-Hilal tonight?
Cristiano Ronaldo could feature when Al-Nassr travel to face rivals Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League on Friday (December 1). The Knights of Najd will want to secure a win and narrow the gap at the top of the standings.
Ronaldo picked up a neck injury during the recent AFC Champions League game against Persepolis. The knock was a cause for concern for Luis Castro's side as they prepare to take an in-form Al-Hilal side who are currently top of the Saudi Pro League.
According to Saudi Gazette, however, Cristiano Ronaldo did train with the rest of the first-team squad ahead of the game on Friday evening. Despite an injury scare, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is reportedly feeling fine and ready to take part in the Riyadh derby.
The final decision, however, will be in Castro's hands. If Ronaldo is deemed fit, he should start and lead Al-Nassr's attack against Al-Hilal. If he is not 100 percent fit, the former Manchester United star could also start the game on the bench and make an appearance in the second half if necessary.
Al-Nassr possess some great attacking players in their ranks. The likes of Anderson Talisca and Sadio Mane could partner Cristiano Ronaldo in attack. The pair are also more than capable of deputizing for the Portugal skipper in case he is not risked for the game on Friday.
As things stand, Al-Nassr are second in the standings, having picked up 34 points from 11 games. They are currently four points behind league leaders and next opponents Al-Hilal who are currently unbeaten in the Saudi Pro League.
How did Cristiano Ronaldo perform for Al-Nassr against Al-Hilal last season?
Should Ronaldo play against Al-Hilal on Friday, it will only be his second league outing against the city rivals since his move to Saudi Arabia almost a year ago.
Cristiano Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes against Al-Hilal back in April when his side suffered a 2-0 defeat in the league. He also picked up a yellow card in that game.
Ronaldo took four shots in that game but failed to land a single one of them on target. He had a pass completion rate of 79 percent but only had 30 touches over the course of the game.
It is, however, worth mentioning that Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace against Al-Hilal in the final of the Arab Club Champions Cup prior to the start of the 2023-24 sesson. Al-Nassr registered a 2-1 win on that occasion on their way to winning the tournament.