It’s just a matter of time before Al Nassr takes on Al Hilal for the Saudi Super Cup final. But it looks like Luis Castro’s side has hit the panic button as their star player Cristiano Ronaldo missed the last training session ahead of the crucial face-off. This raises concern about whether the Portuguese superstar is injured or not.

The latest development was brought to light by @NewsNow4Sports on X. Per the reports, every Al Nassr player was seen training at the ground today except for the 39-year-old, who was nowhere to be seen. The reason why Ronaldo refused to participate was because he was feeling very exhausted. Instead of overtiring himself, the skipper decided to skip the final session ahead of the kick-off.

While Ronaldo has given a potential injury scare, it seems it may be a precautionary call on the other hand. To avoid over-exhausting himself must have forced the 5x Ballon d’Or winner to call a rain-check on the last training session. In the meantime, he may work on light conditioning of the body and avoid vigorous sessions. This will help him to remain in contention for the match.

Many hearts of the fans would have stomped as it initially raised suspicion of the fact that he might be injured. From the looks of it, the former Real Madrid star is fatigued from the previous semifinal clash against Al Taawoun where he played the full game. His presence indeed proved beneficial to Al Nassr as he scored the second goal near the hour mark before Ayman Yahya found the back of the net in just eight minutes to give the Yellow and Blue the lead.

This is also an indication for Castro to manage Ronaldo’s game time. The former Porto man could have been on the brink of playing the final without their main piece of the puzzle. This would have increased more challenges for Al Nassr, considering they are already going into the final without a star player.

While Cristiano Ronaldo misses final training, Al Nassr to play Saudi Super Cup without star midfielder

Taking our attention off Cristiano Ronaldo for a while, Al Nassr won’t be able to field up Marcelo Brozovic. The former Inter midfielder was sent off in the previous 2-0 win over Al Taawoun just before the final whistle. It was a challenge that didn’t settle in the eyes of the referee which saw Brozovic get a straight red.

Interestingly, Cristiano Ronaldo and the coaching staff were visibly frustrated by the controversial red card issued to Brozovic, and they even attempted to protest the decision afterward. Despite their efforts, they eventually returned to the pitch without any concessions. It will be intriguing to see who Castro selects to step up in this crucial moment.

Be that as it may, the absence of Marcelo Brozovic gives a major advantage to Al Hilal. Jorge Jesus’ side may be in for a double boost now that some worrying updates came surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo. However, the player will likely push himself to feature in the final and help Al Nassr take their previous revenge over their arch-rivals.