Cristiano Ronaldo returns for Al Nassr as Inter face Juventus

Cristiano Ronaldo has ended his boycott regarding transfer investment and will return to Al Nassr’s starting XI to face Al Fateh this Saturday.

Internal conflict resolved

The Portugal captain missed the previous two Saudi Pro League fixtures in a reported protest against the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

He was understood to be frustrated with the level of financial backing provided to his side during the recent window.

However, the 39-year-old has called time on his short hiatus to aid his team’s pursuit of the league title.

Al Nassr managed to navigate the forward’s absence with surprising comfort.

Victories against Al Riyadh and Al Ittihad were secured largely thanks to the form of Sadio Mane.

Despite that success, the return of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is a significant boost for manager Jorge Jesus.

Ronaldo is expected to slot immediately back into a 4-4-2 formation alongside Joao Felix.

The Riyadh-based outfit remain firmly in contention for the domestic crown.

They currently trail leaders Al Hilal by just a single point with 14 matches remaining in the campaign.

Saturday’s opponents, Al Fateh, offer an ideal opportunity for Ronaldo to regain momentum.

The hosts have failed to win any of their last six league outings.

The former Real Madrid star is also closing in on a historic personal milestone.

He requires just 39 more strikes to reach the unprecedented figure of 1,000 career goals.

Elsewhere, Italian football braces for the 255th Derby d’Italia.

Inter Milan host Juventus in a fixture that could dictate the destiny of the Scudetto.

The Nerazzurri have been relentless, winning 11 of their last 12 league games to heap pressure on their Turin rivals.