Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr Planning to File an Appeal Following Star Player’s 3-Match Suspension- Reports

Al Nassr’s misfortune doesn’t seem to end. Despite playing at an impressive level, the side has yet to pick up a single trophy. A key factor has been injuries and unavailabilities and the trend is continuing even at the final part of the season. A prominent player was reportedly awarded a 3-match suspension for a match that took place 2 months ago! As such, Cristiano Ronaldo and co. are not thrilled with the decision, and Al Nassr is set to take matters into its own hands.

The story is that the Al Nassr board is awaiting the final decision and punishment of Aymeric Laporte. Notably, the defender received a red card in the AFC Champions League clash against Al Ain on March 4th. As a result, he was unavailable in the second-leg match, where Cristiano Ronaldo’s side got knocked out via penalties. Yet, it was recently that a report came up stating Laporte would miss the next 3 league games. This means the defender would only be available for the last league match against Al Ittihad on May 27th. Not the ideal scenario for Castro and the team. Moreover, he is not the only star facing an uncertain future.

Saudi winger Ayman Yahya was sent off in the second leg of the Al Ain tie. As such, he might also miss the upcoming games. Hence, it seems Al Nassr is waiting for the final decision on the duo before deciding on an appeal. Moreover, a suspension would be cruel in Laporte’s case. The defender is expected to leave the club after the season and he would want to bid a proper goodbye to the fans. While his departure would be a blow to Cristiano Ronaldo’s side, they have already identified a replacement.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s former rival rumored to replace Aymeric Laporte

Aymeric Laporte joined the Saudi Club in 2023 on a 3-year deal. However, he had dropped a bombshell revelation regarding contract negotiations in the country. Laporte said, “You negotiate something and then they don’t accept it after you have signed it. They fight you… It’s a little bit of a thing that I don’t know about in Europe.” Soon after, news broke out that Laporte was looking to leave the club. As per reports, the man chosen to replace him is Jose Maria Gimenez, a fierce opponent of Cristiano Ronaldo.

CR7 and Jimenez know quite well, having regularly played in the Madrid derby. The duo have faced each other 13 times, including two World Cup encounters in 2018 and 2022. Moreover, Gimenez is a leader and was captain of the Uruguay side in the Qatar World Cup. As such, he has the right mentality and skills to play for the Knights of Najd. But, can the Saudi side negotiate a transfer with Atletico Madrid? It won’t be easy as the defender has a long-term contract until 2028.