How Many Matches Will Al Nassr Boss Luis Castro Miss Following Surgery? Cristiano Ronaldo’s King Cup Title Chase in Jeopardy!

It’s just been days since fans received the shocking news about Luis Castro. The Al Nassr boss had undergone a ‘minor medical procedure’ recently and was asked to refrain from coaching duties. Consequently, assistant manager Vitor Severino is the man in charge currently. For Al Nassr, Castro’s unavailability comes at the worst time with the club already without Cristiano Ronaldo who is facing a suspension. CR7 will be back on May 1st against Al Khaleej in the King Cup. But, when is Castro stated to return? A report on X gives an update on the Portuguese tactician’s condition.

As per X news account Nfcdiario, Luis Castro will return to coaching duties only after 4 games. It is not yet clear whether this takes into account Al Nassr’s recent win over Al Feiha. Regardless, one thing is clear. Luis Castro won’t be able to mastermind a King Cup victory! For Al Nassr, the King Cup begins on May 1st against Al Khaleej. A win would take them into the final with a potential matchup against Al Hilal/Al Ittihad. For Cristiano Ronaldo & Co, Castro’s unavailability is a big blow.

The reason is that the King Cup is possibly Al Nassr’s best chance to win a trophy this season. Since Al Hilal has a 9-point lead in the league, failure to win the tournament could mean a trophyless season on the cards. However, not everything is dark and gloomy as Al Nassr could have Cristiano Ronaldo earlier than expected.

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly set to have his ban reduced!

Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo received a red card, Al Nassr had appealed against the decision. Per the latest reports, it seems their efforts have been rewarded. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has seemingly accepted Al Nassr’s appeal. The report states, “The suspension of Cristiano Ronaldo will be for one match only, and what happened between him and Ali Al-Bulaihi in the match between Al-Nasr and Al-Hilal was evaluated as a contact that was not violent behavior.”

If Al Nassr’s appeal succeeds, CR7 could be back for the league game on April 27th. Interestingly, the matchup is against their opponents in the King Cup, Al-Khaleej. For interim manager Vitor Severino, Cristiano Ronaldo’s availability could be a boon in disguise as he can trial his tactics for the important tie on May 1st. Moreover, at 39 years of age, Ronaldo is past his physical prime, and putting him straight up in an intense match like the King Cup would not have been ideal. Hence, Ronaldo’s earlier return is a win-win for all parties involved.