Al Nasr expects Cristiano Ronaldo to end his strike and feature for them again on Saturday.

The 41-year-old has missed the team’s last two Saudi Professional League (SPL) games as he is unhappy with the way Al Nassr are being run.

Ronaldo is expected to return for Saturday’s SPL match at Alpha Tower after being given the assurance.

Before that match, Al-Nasr will play its second Asian Champions League match against Al-Kadag in Turkmenistan on Wednesday.

The Portugal captain missed Friday’s Saudi Professional League home win over Al-Ittihad and has therefore missed Al Nasr’s last two games.

Ronaldo returned to training with his Al Nasr teammates last week but was not included in coach Jorge Jesus’ named squad for the match.

Officials had previously wanted Ronaldo to make his point by missing Al Nasr’s match against Riyadh last Monday, with Friday’s match being too big for him to miss as they urged him to return to the pitch.

They believe Ronaldo’s protest has damaged the image of the SPL and the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund. The SPL publicly warned the player ahead of Friday’s game.

But Al Nasr won its second consecutive game without Ronaldo, beating Al Ittihad 2-0 thanks to goals from Sadio Mane and Angelo Gabriel.

Why did Ronaldo strike?

Ronaldo believes his club Al Nasr does not receive as much financial support as their title rivals Al Hilal. Both clubs are majority-owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The striker is convinced Al Hilal received preferential treatment and is particularly angry that they brought in players such as Karim Benzema to strengthen their squad during the January transfer window.

The SPL believes its league is a fair fight and there are still plenty of games to play this season. The funding provided by the league is clear and fair to all PIF clubs. If Al Nassr are inactive in January it is because they have already spent £100m this season.

Financial regulations and league funding through the Player Recruitment Center of Excellence are designed to maintain integrity and ensure the league and clubs are sustainable and competitive.

Benzema scored a hat-trick on his debut last Thursday as Al Hilal defeated Al Ahdoud 6-0.

Saudi officials were surprised Ronaldo was unhappy – despite earning a reported £500,000 a day.

He has 18 months left on his contract but has a summer release clause of £43m (€50m) – despite turning 41 on Thursday.

What did SPL say to Ronaldo?

While Ronaldo may be the face of the Scottish Premiership, the league hit back at the Portuguese star with a statement last Thursday, reiterating that he has no say in what happens at clubs other than his own.

“The structure of the Saudi Professional League follows a simple principle: each club operates independently under the same rules,” a league spokesman said.

“Clubs have their own boards, their own executives and their own football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy are made by these clubs within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. This framework applies equally to the league as a whole.

“Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al Nasr since joining and has played an important role in the club’s development and ambitions. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win. But no individual – no matter how important – can dictate decisions outside their own club.

“Recent transfer activity clearly demonstrates this independence. One club steps up in a specific way. Another club chooses a different approach. These are decisions taken by clubs within approved financial parameters.

“The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. The top four are separated by just a few points and the race for the title is fierce. This level of balance reflects a system that is working as intended.

“The focus remains on football – on the pitch, where it belongs – and maintaining credible, competitive competition for players and fans.”