Rui Pedro, the sporting director of Al Ahli Jeddah, commended Cristiano Ronaldo's contributions to elevating the profile of the Saudi Pro League and acknowledged the reasons behind Ronaldo's recent absence from matches with Al Nassr. The 41-year-old Portuguese star has been in the headlines for refusing to play following the lack of reinforcement for his team during the winter transfer window, especially after key additions by rival teams, like Karim Benzema's move from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal.

Ronaldo missed crucial matches against Al Riyadh and Al Ittihad, where Al Nassr currently sits second in the league, just one point behind leaders Al Hilal. He also did not participate in a critical Asian Champions League match against Turkmenistan's Arkadag FC, as the team opted to rest him along with other players to manage their fitness. Nonetheless, he returned to action over the weekend, scoring in a 2-0 victory against Al Fateh.

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Pedro elaborated that Ronaldo's withdrawal is more complex than perceived, suggesting that there are valid concerns behind his choices. This situation has stirred discussions in the Saudi football community about player welfare and the competitive landscape of the league, highlighting contrasting strategies among clubs during the transfer period.