Joao Felix is back in Saudi Arabia, but will serve a suspension in Friday’s game.
Jorge Jesus revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mané have recovered from their respective physical problems and could be available for Al Nassr’s home game against Al-Najma, a match in the 27th round of the Saudi league scheduled for 7:00 PM on Friday. The Portuguese coach also spoke about Joao Felix’s good form, who, after another goal for the Portuguese national team, is having the most productive season of his career.
“Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mané are ready for the game against Al-Najma. Frenchman Mohamed Simakan will be present at tonight’s training session, and we will also assess Kingsley Coman’s physical condition to determine his availability, but his condition is not a cause for concern. I believe the break was beneficial for Spanish defender Inigo Martínez, allowing him to recover quickly from the injury suffered in the last match,” the coach highlighted in a press conference. Joao Felix is also back after scoring against the United States in Portugal’s last pre=season game. “I know Félix well and I know his worth. I insisted that the club sign him at the start of the season, and that wasn’t a random decision. He currently boasts the highest goalscoring average of his career; he’s an excellent player, he added.
According to Saudi media reports, Cristiano Ronaldo is among the 21 players called up for Friday’s game, unlike João Félix who will be serving a one-match suspension.
The coach now wants to rally the group to attack the final stretch of the season, with the title in sight. Al Nassr is experiencing an important moment and we are just a few steps away from the title, only 15 or 16 points away. There isn’t much time left. We need to stay focused. We need to preserve all eighteen players. In the coming days, we will play a match every three days and the risk of injuries increases. We need to play as we have throughout the rest of the season and we need to win. We have eight finals until the end of the championship, he emphasized.