Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr dealt blow as star man likely to miss SPL clash against Al-Qadsiah: Reports
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr have been handed a huge blow as star defender Aymeric Laporte will reportedly miss the clash against Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League today (November 22). This will be the first time that Laporte will be out for two consecutive matches for the Knights of Najd this season. The Spaniard was not included in the squad that faced Al-Riyadh prior to the international break.
Laporte has been an integral part of the club’s defensive department. In all the 18 matches that Al-Nassr have played this season, Laporte has featured in 15, 13 of which have come from the start.
Despite not having an injury at the moment, journalist Abdulaziz Al-Osaimi has reported that Laporte has left Riyadh due to unforeseen circumstances and is likely to miss the match against Al-Qadsiah.
If the report is true, it will make it the fourth time that Laporte has been excluded from the matchday squad this season across competitions for the Knights of Najd. The 30-year-old didn't find a place in the matchday squad against Al-Shorta and Al-Rayyan in the AFC Champions League in September.
Laporte joined Al-Nassr from Manchester City in 2023 for a reported fee of €27.5 million. He has scored seven goals in 54 appearances across competitions for the club, a fairly good return for a centre-back.
Cristiano Ronaldo opens up on the impact moving to Al-Nassr has had on his family
Cristiano Ronaldo has shared insights into how his move to Al-Nassr has impacted his family. The Portuguese icon joined the Saudi Pro League club in 2023 after his contract with Manchester United was mutually terminated.
Ronaldo moved to the Middle East with his girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, and his five children. It was a complete change of environment for the 39-year-old and his family, who had been in Europe for a huge part of their lives.
In an interview on the new Netflix documentary, Saudi Pro League: Kickoff, Ronaldo discussed the impact the move to Saudi Arabia has had on his family.
“In the beginning, everything was not easy,” he said. "The culture is different. My family is part of me and they always go wherever I go. Sometimes the kids miss Europe. It’s normal. Nothing in this life is easy. The Saudi people are very friendly. They are people like me who want to give back.”
On if he joined Al-Nassr because of the money, Ronaldo said:
“I’m here to win. To win trophies, to make Al Nassr better, to make the Saudi Pro League better, change the culture. I want to be successful, I want to leave a legacy. This is what I want. This is why I am here. They help me, I help them. We are a unit. I take my piece of cake, Netflix take a piece of cake, Saudi, everyone. We work for a big cake, it is winning-winning.”
Ronaldo has scored 68 goals from 79 appearances for Al-Nassr so far, including 10 from 15 games across competitions this season.