Is Ronaldo Playing in Al Riyadh vs Al Nassr SPL Match Tonight?

Al Nassr are gaining momentum in the Saudi Pro League again. After a brief blip midway through the season, which gave their rivals a chance to overtake them and sit at the top of the table, Jorge Jesus' men put together a four-game winning run to cut Al Hilal's lead at the top of the table.

They prepare for the Riyadh Derby on Monday night. But a late announcement from Fabrizio Romano left the fans in tatters. Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to miss out on the Al Riyadh vs Al Nassr clash.

As fans search for answers, we explain what's happening behind the scenes, and explain is Ronaldo playing today and more?

Is Ronaldo playing today in the Al Riyadh vs Al Nassr game?

Football journalist Fabrizio Romano announced that Ronaldo will not feature in the Al Riyadh vs Al Nassr game. At first glance, it makes perfect sense as Ronaldo, who will turn 41 in a few days, might have chosen to rest. Given it's Al Nassr's fourth game in 10 days and they face Al Ittihad on Friday, Ronaldo could've asked for a rest. Al Riyadh are in a relegation battle, and they probably do not need Ronaldo's help to get a result.

But the second part of Ronaldo's statement is well in line with Ronaldo's mentality. “His absence is not related to any physical issue nor to workload or fitness management”, added Romano in his tweet. Since the possibility of an injury and load management are ruled out, there is an air of suspense around Cristiano Ronaldo's shock disappearance. But a report from Portugal might help us solve the puzzle.

Why is Cristiano Ronaldo not playing today?

If the reports from A Bola, a Portuguese publication, are to be believed, Ronaldo is said to be unhappy with the way Al Nassr are operating. They reiterated that Ronaldo's absence was not linked to load management. They claimed Ronaldo is unhappy with PIF's (Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which manages Al Nassr and other top clubs of the SPL, including Al Hilal, Al Ahli, and Al Ittihad) unfair treatment of his club compared to the other clubs managed by the fund.

The tipping point is expected to be the lack of transfer activity in the winter window as the club is pushing for the league title. They signed only midfielder Haydeer Abdulkareem despite the coach Jesus requesting more reinforcements. The coach also highlighted earlier that his club faces some financial constraints. He also threw a dig at Al Hilal, who hit back, requesting a suspension of the coach.

Given that Karim Benzema is forcing a move to Al Hilal from Al Ittihad, the player power is well on show in the Saudi league.

According to rumours from Turkey, it is also said that one of the best players in the world, Ronaldo himself, tried to block Benzema's move to Al Hilal on the grounds of hurting the competitive balance. Ronaldo's strike might force some harsh discussions between the clubs managed by the PIF

Ronaldo is in scorching form this season.

With 17 goals, he is trailing only Ivan Toney in the race for the Golden Boot. His performances have put Al Nassr in an incredible position as they won 9/9 games to start the season. But Al Nassr's inferior squad depth, combined with Sadio Mane leaving for AFCON, made the team crumble.

Despite Ronaldo showing up every time, the squad fell short during the turn of the year. These events resulted in the unsettling of Ronaldo as the Portuguese striker is trying to fire his side to a first league title in seven years.