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Stefano Pioli has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo missed Al-Nassr's latest Saudi Pro League match against Al-Taawoun because of a cold. The Knights of Najd were held to a 1-1 draw at home on Friday, May 16.
Speaking to the media after the match, the Al-Nassr head coach stated:
"Ronaldo is absent because he is suffering from a cold."
Pioli has always been in awe of Ronaldo's work ethic and fitness. He said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this season (via GOAL):
"If I arrive half an hour early, he's there 25 minutes early. He's always the first to get on the bus. He's a perfectionist who demands a lot from himself and from others. He lives for the team, he helps, he advises. Sometimes I let him talk to the players. I can't treat him like the others, but he's intelligent and he respects his role and mine."
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The draw has seen Al-Nassr slip to fourth in the Saudi Pro League table with 64 points. They could slip even further with fifth-place Al-Ahli on 61 points and a game in hand.
Stefano Pioli is set to be sacked by Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al Nassr. The management are not happy with the Italian manager and have already made the decision to replace him ahead of next season.
Could Jose Mourinho reunite with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr?
Jose Mourinho has been linked with an exit from Fenerbahce at the end of the season. Mourinho signed a two-year contact with the Turkish giants in 2024 but has endured a disappointing campaign, with his side trailing leaders Galatasaray by eight points in the Super Lig.
The Portuguese manager has previously worked with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, and admitted that he wants to manage in the Saudi Pro League some day. He said in an interview with MBC Egypt TV channel in 2023 (via GOAL):
"I will go to Saudi Arabia in some free time, but I am convinced that I will work there. I don't know when, but I am pretty sure of it. No one knows the future, but I will definitely do this [working in Saudi Arabia]."
However, recent reports have suggested that the 62-year-old is close to becoming the next manager of the Portugal national team rather than taking over at Al-Nassr.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo is still hunting for his first major trophy in Saudi Arabia. He won the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023 but has not managed to win the league or the AFC Champions League in his stint with Al-Nassr.
