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Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to start when Al-Nassr play host to Al-Tai in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, March 30. The Knights of Najd return to action following the final international break of the current season.
Ronaldo was part of the Portugal squad for the recently-concluded international break which included friendlies against Sweden and Slovenia. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was rested for the game against Sweden but played the full 90 minutes against Slovenia. Portugal lost 2-0 on that occasion.
Cristiano Ronaldo should be fit and ready for Al-Nassr's game against Al-Tai on Saturday. The 39-year-old forward should therefore start and lead the attack for his side at the Al-Awwal Stadium.
Ronaldo could be partnered alongside the likes of Sadio Mane and Abdulrahman Ghareeb to form a front three. The Riyadh-based side will still be without their Brazil superstar Anderson Talisca, who is still nursing his long-term injury.
Al-Nassr are currently second in the standings, having picked up 56 points from 24 matches. They are 12 points behind league leaders Al-Hilal with just six games remaining in the Saudi Pro League season. Ronaldo's side are all but out of the title recognition.
Al-Tai, on the other hand, are currently in the relegation zone. They are 16th in the standings, having picked up just 22 points from their 24 matches and are two points off safety.
How did Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo perform against Al-Tai earlier this season?
Al-Nassr will be facing Al-Tai for the second time in the Saudi Pro League this season when they face them on Saturday. Luis Castro's side secured a 2-1 win in their first encounter back in September 2023 with Cristiano Ronaldo playing a crucial role.
He played the full 90 minutes in that away game and contributed a goal and an assist. Anderson Talisca opened the scoring after 30 minutes before Ronaldo scored the winner from the penalty spot with three minutes remaining in the game.
Cristiano Ronaldo had 12 shots in the game but only five of them were on target. He even missed one big chance in the game. He had 50 touches in the game and completed with a pass completion rate of 91 per cent. He went on to create one big chance for his teammates as well.
Cristiano Ronaldo, however, was caught offside twice in the game. The Al-Nassr superstar also lost possession on six separate occasions during the course of the 90 minutes.
