With the Portuguese superstar working his way back to full fitness, the Australian coach faces a delicate call over how quickly to bring his captain back into the action.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to competitive action is becoming one of the biggest talking points around Al-Nassr as Ange Postecoglou weighs an important decision ahead of the Saudi Pro League clash with Al-Riyadh. With the Portuguese superstar working his way back to full fitness, the Australian coach faces a delicate call over how quickly to bring his captain back into the action.
According to Arriyadiyah, Ronaldo continued his rehabilitation plan on Wednesday without joining Al-Nassr’s group training session. The 41-year-old is recovering from a pelvic muscle injury after experiencing pain during a team session last week, although he reportedly felt no discomfort during Wednesday’s work.
Instead, the Portuguese superstar completed specific fitness exercises alongside his recovery program as he continues to follow the medical staff’s return-to-play plan. The club is expected to assess him again during Thursday’s training session before determining whether he can feature against Al-Riyadh this Friday.
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That assessment could ultimately determine whether Ronaldo makes his first competitive appearance of the new season. Medical and physical tests will play a major role in deciding how much involvement, if any, he is ready to handle.
Postecoglou faces crucial call
The latest information has added another layer of intrigue to Ronaldo’s situation. 365Scores Arabic reports that the current inclination is for Ronaldo to be rested against Al-Riyadh, although Postecoglou is discussing the possibility of giving his captain some minutes.
“The current inclination is for Cristiano Ronaldo to be rested against Al-Riyadh. However, Postecoglou is consulting with Ronaldo about giving him some minutes, with the final decision expected to be made in the coming hours,” the report stated.
That means the door remains open to a short cameo from the bench, even if the veteran is ultimately deemed unready to start. Postecoglou’s decision will depend on both the medical assessment and the player’s own response to the workload.
Cristiano Ronaldo in Al-Nassr training
Carefully managed return
Ronaldo has already missed Al-Nassr’s opening competitive fixtures of the campaign. He was absent for the 3-0 Saudi Pro League victory over Al-Fateh on August 15 before also sitting out the King’s Cup meeting with Al-Diriyah.
His absence from those matches came after a demanding summer that included the 2026 World Cup with Portugal, followed by his return to club soccer later than some of his teammates. Postecoglou has therefore taken a cautious approach as he attempts to manage the workload of one of the most important players in his squad.
The Australian coach took over at Al-Nassr in July following Jorge Jesus’ departure and has already overseen a positive start to the league campaign. With the club defending its Saudi Pro League crown, Postecoglou will want Ronaldo available for the long haul rather than risk rushing him back for one early-season fixture.