Ronaldo misses second straight game for Al-Nassr amid reported discontent with club

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo missed his second straight game for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Friday amid reports he’s unhappy with the club’s majority owner.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was not in the squad when Al-Nassr faced defending champion Al-Ittihad. He also missed the 1-0 win over Al-Riyadh on Monday.

Ronaldo was unhappy with how Al-Nassr was being managed by the country’s Public Investment Fund, Portuguese outlet A Bola reported this week. Ronaldo was said to be upset with the club’s lack of action in the January transfer window while watching rival Al-Hilal sign Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, a former Real Madrid teammate.

Without naming Ronaldo, the Saudi Pro League issued a statement on Thursday emphasizing that no player was bigger than the league.

“The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: Every club operates independently under the same rules,” the league said. “Clubs have their own boards, executives and football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy rest with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.”

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