Cristiano Ronaldo will not be in action for Al Nassr in a friendly game against long-term rival Lionel Messi and Inter Miami on Thursday, February 1.
The Saudi club's head coach, Luis Castro declared on Wednesday, January 31, that the much-anticipated battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is on hold as the Portuguese star is sidelined due to a muscle injury.
"Cristiano is in the final part of his recovery to join the group", Luis Castro said in a press conference on Wednesday.
He added; "We expect that he can begin to work with the team in the next few days. He will be an element that will be absent from the game".
The Portuguese International who was expected to feature in the friendly game between Al Nassr and Inter Miami, has repeatedly been struggling with a muscular injury since last month.
Unfortunately, the injury is said to be too challenging for the former Real Madrid forward to overcome, forcing him to miss the upcoming 'Last Dance' battle.
The match, set to be played at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, had been tagged as the final club meeting of the two high-profile players who dominated European football for a decade, most notably during their simultaneous periods in Spanish La Liga with Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Messi at FC Barcelona.
Reports of Ronaldo's probable absence began spreading on Tuesday, January 30, when Al Nassr officially confirmed the suspension of their China tour, referring to Cristiano Ronaldo's physical condition as the reason.
The Portuguese star further addressed the situation, expressing how he felt through a social media post.
He said; "I apologize to all the Chinese fans".
He added; "I know that everyone is sad, and so am I, but as you know, in football, there are things that cannot be controlled."
Football lovers across the world were eagerly expecting the meeting between the two G.O.A.Ts on the pitch, but it looks like they will have to wait a little longer for this encounter as Ronaldo will remain focused on his recovery from the injury.
Ronaldo moved to the Saudi Pro League following a fallout with former club Manchester United before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
His move to the Middle East encouraged several football stars including Karim Benzema, N’golo Kante, and Roberto Firmino to join the ambitious Middle Eastern side.
Since his move to the Middle East, Ronaldo has been in excellent form, he's currently leading the Saudi Pro League goal-scoring chart with 20 goals this season.
Lionel Messi, on the other hand, joined Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 following the expiration of his contract with Paris Saints Germain.
His move to Inter Miami has influenced several former FC Barcelona players including Jodi Alba, and Luis Suarez to join the American-based team.
What's next?
Inter Miami are currently in the middle of their pre-season and looking to have a much better domestic campaign than they did last season.
Meanwhile, Al Nassr are halfway through their Saudi Pro League season and have a lot of work to do if they are to overtake Al Hilal at the top.
The Saudi club's head coach, Luis Castro declared on Wednesday, January 31, that the much-anticipated battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is on hold as the Portuguese star is sidelined due to a muscle injury.
"Cristiano is in the final part of his recovery to join the group", Luis Castro said in a press conference on Wednesday.
He added; "We expect that he can begin to work with the team in the next few days. He will be an element that will be absent from the game".
The Portuguese International who was expected to feature in the friendly game between Al Nassr and Inter Miami, has repeatedly been struggling with a muscular injury since last month.
Unfortunately, the injury is said to be too challenging for the former Real Madrid forward to overcome, forcing him to miss the upcoming 'Last Dance' battle.
The match, set to be played at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, had been tagged as the final club meeting of the two high-profile players who dominated European football for a decade, most notably during their simultaneous periods in Spanish La Liga with Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Messi at FC Barcelona.
Reports of Ronaldo's probable absence began spreading on Tuesday, January 30, when Al Nassr officially confirmed the suspension of their China tour, referring to Cristiano Ronaldo's physical condition as the reason.
The Portuguese star further addressed the situation, expressing how he felt through a social media post.
He said; "I apologize to all the Chinese fans".
He added; "I know that everyone is sad, and so am I, but as you know, in football, there are things that cannot be controlled."
Football lovers across the world were eagerly expecting the meeting between the two G.O.A.Ts on the pitch, but it looks like they will have to wait a little longer for this encounter as Ronaldo will remain focused on his recovery from the injury.
Ronaldo moved to the Saudi Pro League following a fallout with former club Manchester United before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
His move to the Middle East encouraged several football stars including Karim Benzema, N’golo Kante, and Roberto Firmino to join the ambitious Middle Eastern side.
Since his move to the Middle East, Ronaldo has been in excellent form, he's currently leading the Saudi Pro League goal-scoring chart with 20 goals this season.
Lionel Messi, on the other hand, joined Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 following the expiration of his contract with Paris Saints Germain.
His move to Inter Miami has influenced several former FC Barcelona players including Jodi Alba, and Luis Suarez to join the American-based team.
What's next?
Inter Miami are currently in the middle of their pre-season and looking to have a much better domestic campaign than they did last season.
Meanwhile, Al Nassr are halfway through their Saudi Pro League season and have a lot of work to do if they are to overtake Al Hilal at the top.
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