Al Nassr will visit Al Okhdood on Monday for Matchday 31 of the 2024–25 Saudi Pro League season. However, fans were surprised when the squad list was released and Cristiano Ronaldo was not included, raising concerns about his fitness and availability for the final stretch of the season.
The game comes just five days after Al Nassr’s 3–2 loss to Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad—a result that effectively ended their title hopes. With little left to play for in terms of domestic silverware, head coach Stefano Pioli has made strategic decisions regarding his veteran stars.
Cristiano Ronaldo will sit out Monday’s match and remain at home, with Al Nassr set to face the 17th-place side in the league. Al Okhdood are battling relegation, and Pioli is prioritizing Ronaldo’s recovery for the final four matches of the campaign, where international qualification is still on the line.
According to Saudi media personality Ali Alabdallh, Ronaldo did not train with the rest of the squad over the weekend. On Saturday, he reportedly spent his day between the medical clinic and the gym, further signaling the club’s decision to manage his workload carefully.
Ronaldo isn’t the only notable absence. French defender Mohamed Simakan, who has featured in 37 matches this season, was also left out of the squad to recover. Pioli appears to be preserving key players for more decisive games to come.
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Al Nassr’s uphill battle for AFC Champions League qualification
Back-to-back losses—first to Kawasaki Frontale in the AFC Champions League and then to Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League—have derailed Al Nassr’s pursuit of silverware this season. But the team still has one vital goal: securing international competition for 2025–26.
Only three Saudi clubs will qualify for the upcoming edition of the AFC Champions League Elite. Currently sitting fifth in the table, Al Nassr face a steep climb. With Al Ahli securing one of the slots by winning the current tournament, Ronaldo’s side must now reach second place to qualify.
That position is currently held by Al Hilal, who have 68 points—eight more than Al Nassr. With four games remaining, the pressure is on Pioli’s squad to finish strong and avoid ending the season without a major achievement.
