Christian Ronaldo of al-nassr (GETTY IMAGES) Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at Al-Nassr has come under fresh scrutiny after the Saudi Pro League (SPL) issued a firm statement stressing that “no player is bigger than the club or the league”, adding drama ahead of the crucial Asian Champions League game two.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Al-Nassr face Turkmenistan’s Arkadag on Wednesday with a quarter-final place on the line, but attention has shifted to Ronaldo’s absence and he has reported frustration with the club’s direction. The 41-year-old Portugal star has missed the last two Saudi Pro League matches amid claims he is unhappy with the way the club is financed – especially after rivals Al-Hilal strengthened their squad with the signing of Karim Benzema in the last transfer window.All four of Saudi Arabia’s main clubs – Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli – are majority-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and a comparison of their spending strategies has intensified scrutiny of Ronaldo’s situation.In a strongly worded statement, the SPL underlined its stance on player governance and influence. “The Saudi Pro League is structured on a simple principle: each club operates independently under the same rules,” the league said. “Cristiano has been fully involved with Al-Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club’s growth and ambitions. But no individual – however significant – dictates decisions outside of his own club.”Despite Ronaldo’s absence, Al-Nassr secured an impressive 2-0 win over reigning champions Al-Ittihad last week and showed resilience ahead of their continental fixture.Elsewhere in the Asian competition, Al-Hilal continue to dominate the western zone with a perfect six-game record, while Al-Ahli have already secured a knockout spot. In the eastern zone, Vissel Kobe remained the only confirmed qualifier so far as the Chinese clubs struggled at the bottom of the table.
