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Al Nasr will do everything he can to ensure Cristiano Ronaldo is fit for Friday’s game against Al Hilal despite a neck injury.
Head coach Luis Castro confirmed the club’s medical staff will do everything they can to get their stars back fit for the clash at the top of the table.
During Al Nasr’s 0-0 AFC Champions League draw with Persepolis, Ronaldo was forced off in the 78th minute with a neck problem and was taken to hospital for a scan.
He was praised for his sportsmanship after he urged referees to overturn a penalty decision in his favor in another incident.
The draw was enough to ensure Al Nasser progressed as Group E winners, but they are desperate to have their star players back to face arch-rivals Al Hilal.
“The medical team is studying his injury and will do everything possible to ensure he is ready for the next game,” Castro said.
Al Nasser is second in the Saudi Professional League, four points behind unbeaten Al Hilal.
Ronaldo is the league’s far and away top scorer with 15 goals, four more than his nearest rival Aleksandar Mitrovic of Al Hilal, while also having the most goals Assists, 7 times.
The two met in the Arab Club Champions Cup final in August. Ronaldo scored twice and 10-man Nasr sealed the victory 2-1.
He was carried off the field with a thigh injury but was still able to celebrate his first trophy in Saudi Arabia and quickly recovered.
Al Nasr, who have not won the league since 2019, knows a win away from home on Friday is crucial otherwise they will be seven points adrift nearly halfway through the season.
Ronaldo’s side are on a 20-game unbeaten run but it is important to know that, apart from Al Nasr, back-to-back Al Hilal represents their toughest test yet.
Although signing Neymar has been injured since October, Al Hilal has bounced back with 12 wins, scoring 37 goals and conceding just once.
The Brazilian star moved to the Saudi club for £78m in August but suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on international duty and was seen screaming in agony in recent harrowing footage of his recovery.