When will Cristiano Ronaldo return to action for Al-Nassr after red card vs Al-Hilal? Report sheds light on expected date

Cristiano Ronaldo is allegedly expected to return to action for Al-Nassr next month after being sent off in a recent 2-1 Saudi Super Cup semi-final defeat to Al-Hilal.

Earlier this Monday (April 8), Al-Hilal extended their world-record winning run to 33 games across all competitions. Salem Al-Dawsari and Malcom scored a goal each in the second half before Sadio Mane cut short his side's deficit in the ninth minute of the injury time.

Prior to Mane's goal, Ronaldo was shown a straight red card for violent conduct in the 86th minute of the clash. The 39-year-old striker was sent off after elbowing Al-Hilal's Ali Al-Bulayhi two times in his chest.

According to X account @9NFCBALL, the Portuguese star will miss his side's next two outings this month. While he has received a one-match ban for his sending off, the veteran attacker is set to be suspended for another contest by the Saudi Super Cup's disciplinary panel.

Hence, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star will reportedly miss Al-Nassr's Saudi Pro League games against Al-Feiha and Al-Khaleej. He is expected to return to action in his team's King's Cup semi-final encounter against Al-Khaleej in Riyadh on May 1.

Cristiano Ronaldo hailed for elite mentality

Last month, Tottenham Hotspur star Dejan Kulusevski lavished praise on Cristiano Ronaldo for his ability to stay focused even after the training sessions. He told The Players' Tribune (h/t talkSPORT):

"And Cristiano? What a guy, man. After training [during my time at Juventus], everyone would be on their phones, tap, tap tap, but not him. You could see how hard he worked, how much he wanted it, even though he had nothing left to prove."

Revealing he was starstruck by the Portuguese, Kulusevski added:

"I gotta be honest, I have never been the type to ask teammates for favors, but I asked Cristiano to sign his shirt, and I gave it to my mother. Five years earlier, we had been talking about me moving back to Sweden, maybe get a normal job. Now, I was playing with one of the greatest of all time. Dreams do come true for normal people."

Kulusevski, who played with Ronaldo in 40 games for Juventus between 2020 and 2021, has established himself as a crucial starter for Spurs over the years. The 23-year-old has contributed 13 goals and 19 assists in 89 games across competitions for his current team.

Ronaldo, on the other hand, has registered a whopping 36 goals and 12 assists in 37 overall appearances for Al-Nassr so far this campaign.