Cristiano Ronaldo misses another Al-Nassr match as Saudi giants reach quarter-finals of AFC Champions League Two

Ronaldo protested against the Saudi Pro League and the PIF after the January transfer window, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner taking issue with a perceived lack of support for him and Al-Nassr compared to the likes of Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli.

One particular gripe the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star had was that Al-Hilal, who are one of Al-Nassr's direct rivals for the Saudi Pro League title, were allowed to sign Karim Benzema from struggling defending champions Al-Ittihad.

Ronaldo missed three games during his protest, with the league publicly warning him about his conduct moving forward.

A statement read: “Clubs have their own boards, their own executives and their own football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.

“Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club's growth and ambition. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win. But no individual - however significant - determines decisions beyond their own club."

Ronaldo has since ended his spell out of action and scored on his return to the Al-Nassr side, bagging against Al-Fateh at the weekend. 

However, he was nowhere to be seen when his side's squad for Wednesday night's AFC Champions League Two clash with Arkadag was announced. It wasn't a huge surprise, given the team that played in the first leg was largely an understrength team, and again some heavy-hitters were not included in the team from the start.

Marcelo Brozovic, Kingsley Coman and Joao Felix were among the stars who were introduced into the second leg from the bench, while Sadio Mane remained an unused substitute for the entirety of the contest. Winger Abdulrahman Ghareeb scored the only game of the game in the second minute, while Arkadag defender Guycmyrat Annagulyyew was sent off in the 91st minute.

It seems to follow that Ronaldo was given the night off as a way to help him maintain his fitness for what is going to be an important run-in for the Saudi Pro League title. Al-Nassr are just a point behind Al-Hilal at the top of the table and are in great form, having won their last nine games in all competitions.

Al-Nassr have already played Al-Hilal twice in the league this season, picking up only a point from those two games. It means they will have to continue their recent perfect form and hope it is enough to overhaul their rivals to claim the title. Coming up over the next month or so are clashes with Al-Hazm, Al-Najma, Al-Feiha, Neom and Al-Khaleej.

Ronaldo and his team-mates will also wait to see who they will face in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Two, which is the second-tier continental competition in Asian club football. The 41-year-old will also expect to be named in Portugal's squad for their friendlies with Mexico and the United States during the March international break. Roberto Martinez's side will then prepare for the 2026 World Cup in North America and are set to face Uzbekistan, Colombia and a play-off winner in Group K.