"The Portugal forward, 41, was left out of Al-Nassr's squad for Monday's Saudi Pro League game against Al-Riyadh. Portuguese outlet A Bola, external reported Ronaldo refused to play, having grown dissatisfied with how the club was being run by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). BBC Sport has been told former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema's move to league leaders Al-Hilal from AlIttihad earlier this week was the principle reason for Ronaldo's frustration at Al-Nassr."
"In a statement issued to BBC Sport, a Saudi Pro League spokesperson said: "The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules. "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 Ronaldo, 41, was omitted from Al-Nassr's squad for a Saudi Pro League match, with Portuguese outlet A Bola reporting he refused to play due to dissatisfaction with club management by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema's recent transfer to Al-Hilal is reported as a central cause of his frustration. Benzema scored a hat-trick on his Al-Hilal debut. Both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal are PIF-controlled. The Saudi Pro League stated that clubs operate independently under uniform rules and financial frameworks to ensure sustainability. Ronaldo posted a training photo but his availability for the next match remains uncertain.
Read at www.bbc.com
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