Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Al-Nassr against Al-Riyadh tonight?
Cristiano Ronaldo is likely to start when Al-Nassr travel to take on Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday, May 23. The Knights of Najd have just two more matches remaining in the league campaign.
Al-Nassr come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw against league champions Al-Hilal in their previous fixture. Ronaldo assisted Otavio in the first minute of the game. Luis Castro's side, however, couldn't claim the win as Aleksandar Mitrovic equalized for the visitors in the dying moments of injury time from the penalty spot.
Cristiano Ronaldo will have a six-day gap between the two fixtures. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner should therefore be fit to feature in the game against Al-Riyadh on Thursday.
If he plays, he will lead his side's attack as he has done all season. The Portugal skipper could be partnered alongside the likes of Sadio Mane and Sami Al-Najei to form a front three.
It is, however, worth mentioning that Nassr Zone on X (formerly Twitter), is reporting that manager Luis Castro might consider resting his star players for the game against Al-Riyadh. This could see Ronaldo get fewer minutes on Thursday.
Al-Nassr are guaranteed to finish second in the Saudi Pro League with two games remaining in the season. The Riyadh-based side have picked up 78 points from 32 games, and sit 12 points behind Al-Hilal.
Al-Riyadh, on the other hand, are involved in the relegation battle. They are 14th in the standings, having accumulated 31 points from 32 games, and are two points clear of the drop zone.
How did Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo perform against Al-Riyadh earlier this season?
The 2023-24 season was Cristiano Ronaldo's first full season in Saudi Arabia. The former Manchester United forward played against Al-Riyadh once earlier in the campaign back in December.
Al-Nassr secured a convincing 4-1 victory on that occasion with Ronaldo contributing towards two of those goals. The superstar forward scored and assisted once on that occasion. Anderson Talisca netted a brace and Otavio also found the back of the net.
Cristiano Ronaldo took eight shots in that game of which three were on target. He also had 43 touches and ended the game with a pass completion rate of 82 percent and also contributed three key passes. Ronaldo, however, lost possession on eight separate occasions and was also caught offside four times.
Cristiano Ronaldo has had a great season on a personal level for Al-Nassr. The forward has contributed 42 goals and 13 assists from 42 matches across all competitions.