Cristiano Ronaldo has been at the center of a row with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nasr this month, and Al Ahly’s sporting director Rui Pedro has given his thoughts on the situation.
Ronaldo finally returns to action for Al Nasr (Image: Getty Images)
Al Ahly president Rui Pedro has insisted that despite his recent outbursts, Cristiano Ronaldo should be praised as a catalyst for the growth of Saudi football. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star has been at the center of a spat with leaders this month.
He was reportedly disappointed by the lack of investment in Al Nasr, as he believed rival companies received more support from public investment funds. As a result, he was left out of the squad for the recent games against Al Riyadh and Al Ittihad.
Ronaldo returned to action at the weekend against Al Fateh, where he also scored his 18th league goal of the season. Al Ahly’s sporting director Rui Pedro has expressed his views on the incident, suggesting that the veteran should be praised for his influence on Saudi football.
“All of us, especially myself as a Portuguese, have the utmost respect for Cristiano Ronaldo and all Portuguese here in Saudi Arabia. It is not my place to speak about how he decided to make his case,” he told Sky Sports.
“I think he has his reasons. All I can say is that if you are here today, if you are working in Saudi Arabia, most of the blame lies with Cristiano Ronaldo.
read more: Cristiano Ronaldo’s UK plans emerge, but retirement from football is still not on the agendaread more: Cristiano Ronaldo furious over gloating message from Karim Benzema during Saudi strike
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“He opened the door to Saudi Arabia to the rest of the world. That is the greatest compliment we can give him.”
“He continues to do what he does game after game, continues to score points and continues to put up unimaginable numbers.”
Pedro’s comments came after Saudi leaders issued strong warnings about Ronaldo’s actions. It states: “The Saudi Professional League is built on the simple principle that all clubs operate independently under the same rules.
“Clubs have their own boards, their own management teams and their own football leaders. Decisions about recruitment, spending and strategy are left to those clubs within a financial framework designed to ensure a balance between sustainability and competitiveness. That framework applies equally across the league.”
Ronaldo recently missed two matches for his Saudi employers Al Nasr (Image: Getty Images)
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“Cristiano has been fully involved with Al Nasr since joining and has played a key role in the club’s growth and ambitions. Like any elite athlete, he wants to win. But no one, no matter how important, can make decisions beyond his own club.
“Recent transfer activity clearly shows that independence. One club strengthened in a certain way, another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions taken within the approved financial terms.”
“The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, there is a very strong competition for the title. This level of balance reflects that the system is working as intended.”
“The focus remains on football, on the pitch where it belongs, and on maintaining credible and competitive competition for players and fans.”
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