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Al-Nassr fans made their true feelings towards Cristiano Ronaldo clear after the 41-year-old was left out for a second straight match. Ronaldo was left angered by the club's lack of transfer movement during the winter window and his frustrations came to a head when title rivals Al-Hilal bolstered their ranks with the addition of Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad.

Ronaldo has missed both of Nassr's matches this week with the fallout continuing after his strike. Though, Jorge Jesus' side have shown no signs of a hangover and maintained their title push with six points from their previous two, thanks to wins over Al-Riyadh and Al-Ittihad.

Former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane has stepped up to the plate in Ronaldo's absence, scoring the winning goal against Riyadh before opening the scoring on Friday night. A 96th-minute effort from Angelo Gabriel rubber-stamped their win over the 2024/25 Saudi Pro League champions, sending them to within one-point of Hilal.

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During their 2-0 win over Ittihad, home supporters made their feelings towards the five-time Ballon d'Or winner clear. Fans held up placards displaying 'Ronaldo 7' on them in support of their disgruntled star.

TalkSPORT's Ben Jacobs has reported that Ronaldo has been left feeling let down by the lack of financial support given to the club to bolster the squad in the market.

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Benzema's cross-Saudi Pro League move came after being left feeling insulted by Ittihad's contract proposal, only to sign a one-year deal for Simone Inzaghi's side.

The Frenchman made an immediate impact netting a hat-trick on his debut to maintain Hilal's lead at the top of the table as they thrashed Al-Okhdoud 6-0.

Nassr managed two signings during the window but, arguably, not the star-studded names that Ronaldo was hoping for. Abdullah Al-Hamdan from Al Hilal and Haydeer Abdulkareem from Al-Zawraa SC both made the Nassr switch but it has been reported that friction has been sparked between the Private Investment Fund-controlled (PIF) clubs.

A Saudi Pro Leaguespokesperson said: "The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules.

"Clubs have their own boards, their own executives and their own football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.

"Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al-Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club's growth and ambition. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win.

"But no individual - however significant - determines decisions beyond their own club.

"Recent transfer activity demonstrates that independence clearly. One club strengthened in a particular way. Another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions, taken within approved financial parameters."

Ronaldo has another year remaining on his contract in Riyadh while the club boasts European superstars Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman. The Guardian have reported that the triple deal has used ub much of their funds this season until they will receive an influx before the 2026 summer transfer window.