Al Nassr has been hit with a massive setback just days before their game against Al Hilal. According to reports, the Saudi Arabian Football Association is planning to investigate Sultan Al-Ghannam’s absence from the national team during the ongoing Asian Cup. If the player is found guilty of deserting the national team, the association could end up imposing a massive fine on the player.

Al Nassr goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi has been excluded from the investigations with the player present with the national team during their training camp. Based on existing reports, Al-Ghannam stayed with Al Nassr despite the international call-up. Saudi Arabia had a rough run at the AFC Asian Cup with the Middle Eastern nation exiting the tournament during the Round of 16.

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Cristiano Ronaldo’s fellow Al Nassr teammate might find himself in big trouble in the upcoming weeks. According to reports, “Sultan Al-Ghannam will not be penalized unless their call-up to the Saudi national team list is confirmed, and they failed to attend in accordance with Article 10 of the obligations of the Saudi professional player. The case of Nawaf Al-Aqidi is different, as he was present for the national training camp.”

Despite playing a crucial role for their national team, Al-Ghannam remained with their Al Nassr despite the national call-up. His absence played a huge role in the team’s performance during the tournament as the side crashed out during the Round of 16 following their defeat against South Korea.

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The Al Nassr star could face a rough punishment from the federation if he is found guilty of breaching the guidelines. Al Nassr will hope that the player can turn his focus away from the drama and focus on the team’s upcoming clash against Al Hilal later this week.

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr look to pay back Al Hilal following rough defeat

Al Hilal ran riot over Cristiano Ronaldo and his men during their previous encounter in the Saudi Pro League. The table-toppers were all over Al Nassr throughout the contest with Aleksander Mitrovic bagging a brace to guide his team to a 3-0 win. The defeat will be fresh in Al Nassr’s memories. And though the upcoming fixture is not a league game but a friendly fixture, Luis Castro’s side will look to pay back their rivals during their upcoming clash.

Both sides have been on red-hot form following their previous encounter and are heading into the game with a winning streak in place. Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to make a comeback for his side during the fixture despite missing out on the team’s training sessions this month. It will be interesting to see if the Al Nassr skipper can guide his team to a much-needed win over their arch-rivals this Thursday.

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