Cristiano Ronaldo could make his first appearance for Al Nassr in a friendly match against Paris Saint-Germain, the club’s coach Rudi Garcia has said.
Ronaldo must serve a suspension before making his league debut for Al Nassr, but he is expected to face PSG in a team comprised of Al Nassr and Al Hilal players in Riyadh on January 19.
Ronaldo missed the first of two home matches for Al Nassr on Friday after being suspended by the Football Association for smashing a phone out of a fan’s hand following Manchester United’s defeat at Everton in April.
Al Nassr manager Rudi Garcia confirmed that the 37-year-old forwards would also miss the league game against Al Shabab and was set to make his debut against Ettifaq on 22 January – but he expects Ronaldo to play against PSG.
The game is also significant from a geopolitical standpoint, with Saudi clubs facing a Qatar-owned team.
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“It [his debut] won’t be with the Al Nassr jersey,” Garcia told L’Équipe. “It will be a mix between Al Hilal and Al Nassr. As the coach of Al Nassr, I cannot be happy with this match. For development, to see PSG, to see the great Parisian players, indeed it is a good thing. But we have a championship game three days later.
“In terms of scheduling, it could have been better thought out. But it’s not a big deal … We are in the lead, we are happy. It is a difficult championship to win, but we intend to do it.”
Garcia has also stated that his task is to help Ronaldo rediscover his love for the game after a difficult year.
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