"Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo will maintain his stance and boycott a second-straight league game after not receiving a concrete guarantee that the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) will make changes regarding the Saudi Pro League club's management, sources have told ESPN. Sources have told ESPN, that if no changes are guaranteed in the coming weeks, Ronaldo will ask to leave in June."
"Ronaldo, who has trained with his team this week, has made clear behind the scenes that his return to action depends on the prompt reactivation of powers of Al Nassr's management and, naturally, that the interference it suffered in the recently closed transfer window does not happen again in the middle of the year. Al Nassr face Al Ittihad on Friday."
"In recent months, Al Nassr's sporting director Simão Coutinho and the club's CEO José Semedo, both Portuguese, were suspended from their positions by the PIF, a move that angered Ronaldo and hindered the arrival of top reinforcements for the team coached by compatriot Jorge Jesus. Moreover, there was a significant cut in the club's expenses. Al Hilal, meanwhile, received a large financial boost from Saudi prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, the billionaire businessman, who is one of the club benefactors, to strengthen the squad."
Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to play and will maintain a boycott of Al Nassr league matches until the Saudi Public Investment Fund provides concrete guarantees to change the club's management. Ronaldo trained this week but has made his return conditional on restoring Al Nassr's management powers and preventing further transfer-window interference. Key club officials, including the sporting director and CEO, were suspended by the PIF, prompting cuts to club spending and anger from Ronaldo. Rival Al Hilal received significant outside funding, including signings financed by Prince Alwaleed, intensifying Ronaldo's concerns about competitive fairness.
Read at ESPN.com
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