Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Al Nassr against Al Ettifaq today?

Cristiano Ronaldo is Officially Unveiled as Al Nassr Player
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make his Saudi Pro League debut. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to start when Al Nassr take on Al Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League on Sunday (January 22) at Mrsool Park. The Portuguese forward will finally make his much awaited debut for his new club.

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al Nassr on a free transfer last month after his contract with Manchester United was terminated. Despite already joining them weeks ago, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was unable to play a game for the Saudi Arabian giants as he was serving a suspension.

Ronaldo received a two-match suspension from the Football Association (FA) after he smashed an Everton fan's phone last season.

The 37-year-old has now served his two-match ban and will finally make his debut for the Saudi Pro League title contenders. The former Manchester United forward is expected to lead the attack against Al Ettifaq.

Ronaldo could be partnered alongside Brazilian attacker Talisca. Talisca has had an excellent season for Al Nassr and was the club's main attacker prior to the arrival of the Portuguese superstar. The former Benfica forward has already scored 11 goals in 11 Saudi Pro League appearances.

Al Nassr are involved in the title race along with the likes of Al Shabab, Al Hilal and current league leaders Al Ittihad. Rudi Garcia's side are second in the standings, having picked up 30 points from 13 matches. They are currently a point behind Al Ittihad in the table but do have a game in hand.

Al Ettifaq, on the other hand, are languishing in 10th place in the standings. They have amassed just 16 points from their 13 outings in the league and have already suffered five defeats this season.


Cristiano Ronaldo has already played alongside a few of his Al Nassr teammates

Despite not having made his debut for Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo has already played alongside a few of his teammates. The forward formed part of the Riyadh All-Star XI, which played a friendly against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Thursday (19 January) in Saudi Arabia.

The Riyadh All-Star XI comprised of players from both Al Hilal and Al Nassr. Cristiano Ronaldo captained the side and even scored a brace in an entertaining game. PSG, however, secured a 5-4 victory on the night despite going down to ten men in the first-half.

Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a two-and-a-half deal with the the Saudi Arabian outfit. He will therefore stay at the club until at least the summer of 2025.

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