GlobalSports

Cristiano Ronaldo could make Saudi debut in PSG friendly: Al Nassr coach

Cristiano Ronaldo will serve his suspension before making his league debut for his new Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr but he could play against Paris St Germain in a friendly this month, coach Rudi Garcia has said.

Ronaldo missed the first of two domestic games for Al Nassr on Friday after being suspended by England’s Football Association (FA) for knocking a phone out of a fan’s hand following Manchester United’s defeat at Everton in April.

Garcia confirmed the 37-year-old forward would also miss the league game against Al Shabab and make his debut against Ettifaq on January 22 — unless he plays against Lionel Messi’s PSG in a team made up of players from Al Nassr and Al Hilal in Riyadh on Jan. 19.

“It (his debut) won’t be with the Al Nassr jersey. It will be a mix between Al Hilal and Al Nassr,” Garcia was quoted as saying by L’Equipe.

“As the coach of Al Nassr, I cannot be happy with this match. For development, to see PSG, to see the great Parisian players, indeed it is a good thing. But we have a championship game three days later.

“In terms of scheduling, it could have been better thought out. But it’s not a big deal… We are in the lead, we are happy. It is a difficult championship to win, but we intend to do it.”

Garcia said Ronaldo’s arrival in Saudi Arabia was similar to Pele’s move to New York Cosmos, shining the spotlight on the little-known Saudi club who have amassed more than 10 million new Instagram followers since his signing last month.

The former Lille and Olympique Lyonnais coach said he hopes Ronaldo rediscovers the enjoyment of playing football after a tumultuous two-month period during which his United contract was terminated and Portugal lost in the World Cup quarter-finals.

“In recent months, between Manchester United, the national team and also at a private level, he has not had easy moments,” Garcia said.

“If he finds the pleasure of playing again, it will be a good goal to achieve.”

Related posts
CRICKETiccworldcup2023PakistanSports

Why did Shaheen, Shadab not bowl in New Zealand warm-up match?

Two main Pakistan bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan didn’t bowl on Friday in the first…
Read more
Asiacup 2023PakistanSports

Top-ranked Pakistan all set to take on India

KARACHI: The world’s top cricket team, Pakistan, and its archrivals India will battle on the…
Read more
footballSports

Cristiano Ronaldo named in Portugal squad for Euro 2024 qualifiers

Cristiano Ronaldo was named in Portugal’s squad on Friday for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers…
Read more
Newsletter
Become a Trendsetter
Sign up for Davenport’s Daily Digest and get the best of Davenport, tailored for you.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *