Cristiano Ronaldo could play against Paris St. Germain in a friendly this month, according to coach Rudi Garcia, but he must first serve his suspension before making his league debut for his new Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
After being punished by the English Football Association (FA) for knocking a fan’s phone out of their hand following Manchester United’s loss at Everton in April, Cristiano Ronaldo missed the first of two domestic matches for Al Nassr on Friday.
Except for playing against Lionel Messi’s PSG in a squad made up of players from Al Nassr and Al Hilal on January 19 in Riyadh, Garcia said the 37-year-old attacker will also miss the league match against Al Shabab and make his debut against Ettifaq on January 22.
The Al Nassr jersey won’t be worn for it (his debut). According to Garcia, Al Hilal and Al Nassr will be combined, as reported by L’Equipe. “I cannot be pleased with this match in my capacity as Al Nassr’s coach.
Watching PSG and the great Parisian players is beneficial for development. But three days later, we play in the championship game. “The scheduling might have used some more careful consideration. However, it’s not a big deal… Being in the lead makes us joyful. Although winning the championship is challenging, we plan to do it.
Garcia compared Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia to Pele’s move to the New York Cosmos, bringing attention to the underdog Saudi team that has gained more than 10 million new Instagram followers since Ronaldo’s signing last month.
Prior to his Al Nassr debut, Ronaldo must serve a two-match suspension.
The former Lille and Olympique Lyonnais coach experienced a tumultuous two months. During this time, his United contract was terminated and Portugal was eliminated from the World Cup quarterfinals. The coach expressed a desire for Ronaldo to find joy in playing football again.
He hasn’t had it easy lately, Garcia remarked, with Manchester United, the national team, and even on a personal level. “It will be a good objective to achieve if he discovers the joy of playing again.”