Cristiano Ronaldo to end boycott of Al Nassr matches: reports

Cristiano Ronaldo has lifted his boycott against Al Nassr games, according to international media reports on Monday.

The 41-year-old missed two of the Saudi Pro League club matches, the Friday victory of 2-0 against Al Ittihad and the previous week against Al Riyadh. 

It is reported that the Portugal captain will rejoin the team to take on Al Fateh on 14 February.

The Al Nassr also play Arkadag this Wednesday in the Asian Champions League Two.

According to international media, Ronaldo was absent in the two matches because he was not happy with the PIF (the Sovereign Investment Fund in Saudi Arabia) and the role that the fund played in the transfer business.

The star was allegedly angered when his former Real Madrid colleague, Karim Benzema, who is also owned 75 percent by the PIF, was taken by Al Hilal, a rival of Al Ittihad, in the January window.

Ronaldo accepted to be back on the field once the PIF fulfilled his primary requests. According to sources, the governing body paid the outstanding salaries of Al Nassr and allowed the top officials of the club to govern the club freely again.

This enables the sporting director Simao Coutinho and the CEO Jose Semedo, who had been suspended by the PIF, to resume duties.

Ronaldo has played 22 matches with Al Nassr this season, scoring 18 goals and giving three assists. The club is ranked second in the Saudi Pro League, a step below its competitor Al Hilal.

Last Thursday, the Saudi Pro League made a statement to warn Ronaldo that no player could affect decisions outside his team.

"The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: Every club operates independently under the same rules," the league said.

"Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance."