Why Cristiano Ronaldo still can’t debut with Al Nassr and what the FIFA regulations say

Cristiano’s debut with Al Nassr will have to wait. The Saudi team plays its first league game this Thursday since the signing of the Portuguese was made official on December 30, but a sanction imposed by the FA (English soccer federation) prevents Cristiano from playing the game. The striker, then from Manchester United, was punished with two games for throwing and breaking a fan’s phone on October 9 after losing to Everton. The sanction was issued on November 23, when Cristiano had already terminated his contract with the Red Devils while he was playing in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

As reported by the newspaper Daily MailAl Nassr has already sold tickets for the 28,000 seats at Mrsool Park for the match against Al Taee and everything was ready to see the start of Cristiano’s adventure in Saudi Arabia. However, FIFA regulations ensure that a sanction for unsportsmanlike conduct of this type must be applied regardless of the federation in which the punished person plays. Article 12.1 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players states: “Any disciplinary sanction of up to four matches or up to three months that has been imposed on a player by the previous association but has not yet (fully) complied with. at the time of the transfer it will be executed by the new association in which the player has registered so that the sanction is fulfilled at the national level”.

Cristiano Ronaldo trains in Real Madrid field

The sanction therefore extends to his new club, Al Nassr, who will not be able to debut Cristiano until he has played two official matches. It is therefore, that he will not be available for the January 14 game against Al Shabab, a vital duel in the Saudi professional league that pits the first and second placed teams against each other. Thus, Cristiano’s first game in Saudi Arabia is postponed, at least, until next January 21, when his team faces Al Ettifaq.

Duel Cristiano Ronaldo-Felipe Caicedo in sight

In the Professional League of Saudi Arabia (Saudi Pro League) Felipe Caicedo has played since he signed for the Abha Club on August 28. He arrived as a free agent after terminating his contract with Genoa from Serie A in Italy. His journey in the Saudi championship will begin on September 1 in a match against Al-Shabab for which he has not yet been called up. The former international’s debut for Ecuador took place on the 8th of that month in a commitment with Al-Wehda FC (1-0).

It wasn’t until on 11 November that Caicedo made his debut as Abha’s goalscorer in a 3-1 away win against Al-Taawon. Felipao had not been active in Saudi Arabia since October 16. So far in his season with Abha, he has accumulated just over 500 minutes of play in nine appearances (8 for the League and 1 for the King’s Cup). Panterone has two targets.

Abha’s next match in the King’s Cup quarterfinals will be against the team that has just introduced Cristiano Ronaldo. According to the program of the contest, Al Nassr will host Abha on Sunday, February 12 at Mrsool Park. King’s Cup is one of the oldest tournaments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and was first held in 1957.

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