Is Cristiano Ronaldo Playing Tonight For Al Nassr Vs Al Akhdoud? Expected Team News

Al Nassr will travel to Najran for their all-important game against Al Akhdoud on Thursday. Even a draw in this tie will mean that their Riyadh rival, Al Hilal, will be crowned the Saudi Pro League 2024 winner. But with very little hope remaining, all eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo, who remains the center of attraction. But in these times of uncertainty for the Al Nassr captain with recent injuries and suspensions, will he take the field tonight? Or will the club in yellow preserve him for clashes against Al Hilal and Al Ittihad?

Meanwhile, Al Akhdoud finds itself in the danger zone, once again, placed just one spot above the relegation zone. The club is tied alongside Abha with 28 points but ahead due to goal difference. And with Al Nassr going as the clear favorite, whether Cristiano would consider playing was tricky to gauge.

Al Nassr needs Cristiano Ronaldo after the shocking loss ahead of the Al Akhdoud tie

Al Nassr already received a blow as their head coach, Luis Castro, opted out of this game. And with every game being crucial, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to play for the club tonight against Al Akhdoud. Despite the team’s remarkable performances, the Knights of Najd would like to have a strong leader amongst them.

Their manager recently underwent a minor surgical procedure and is advised against traveling, which kept him away from tonight’s away game at Najran. Therefore, with just five games left in the season, there is no reason for Al Nassr to keep its best player away.

Nevertheless, Ronaldo suffered a few blows this season, keeping fans intrigued about his place. His calf injury earlier this year had him sidelined for a few weeks apart from his suspensions. Ronaldo missed a total of 6 games across all tournaments this season, but not until they were completely necessary.

Why is tonight’s game a must for Ronaldo?

With all his hard work, Ronaldo is on the verge of receiving the Golden Boot for SPL this year with 32 goals already. However, the Portuguese superstar could break the record for most Saudi League goals in a single season if he scores three more goals. Al Ittihad’s Abderazzak Hamdallah holds the current record with 34 goals in the 2018-19 season. But, achieving this at the age of 39, the former Real Madrid player would be doing something outstanding.

But to reach the record, the tie against tonight’s opposition will be crucial. Ronaldo scored a brace against Al Akhdoud last time, giving him a better chance to repeat it. Moreover, the next couple of games will be against Al Hilal and Al Ittihad, which are relatively tough to score. Although the forward scored two against Karim Benzema’s team last year, the champions will be determined to stop Ronaldo.

Overall, with so much at stake, Cristiano is expected to be determined tonight at Najran. The question of whether he can break the record in this game is of great interest.