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Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have received a massive boost ahead of their clash against Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr on Friday, April 4. According to NFC World on X, the defending champions will have four players return to action ahead of the fixture against their Riyadh rivals.
The biggest return will be that of Aleksandr Mitrovic, their second-highest scorer with 13 goals. The Serbian was taken to the hospital with a suspected heart issue two weeks ago but has since received the all-clear to return to action.
Along with the forward, midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic will also make his comeback. He suffered an injury earlier this month in the AFC Champions League but returned to training. Along with the duo, Al-Hilal will also get back defenders Ali Al-Bulayhi and Yasser Al-Shahrani.
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The fixture serves to be a pivotal clash as both sides look to keep their title hopes alive. With nine games to go, Al-Hilal find themselves in second place, four points off Al-Ittihad at the top of the table. Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr are a fair bit further behind, 10 points off the top, and will need nothing short of a win against their rivals.
Al-Nassr star heaps praise on Cristiano Ronaldo, insists that SPL is prejudiced against
Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento claimed that the Saudi Pro League was being looked down upon despite the quality in it. The Brazilian shotstopper also lauded Cristiano Ronaldo for his wealth of experience and how he helped his teammates.
He said (via Goal):
“Cristiano is phenomenal, he always tries to help us, he gives us tips, he sees something that can be improved. He is not afraid to talk to us. With this kind of relationship, it is impossible to not get along better. I try to absorb the best things. It is a great experience.”
“I think there is a bit of prejudice against the Saudi league, just look at who plays there. I don’t even need to talk about my team. My level is the same, I continue to improve. I can show that on the pitch. I will do my best to demonstrate that.”
The league has seen an influx of top talent in recent years. Headlined by the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2022, many of European football's top stars, including Karim Benzema, Neymar, and N'Golo Kante, made the switch.
Bento is another foreign player to have made the move to the Middle East, joining from Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense. He has made 38 appearances this season for Al-Nassr, keeping 12 clean sheets.
