Al Nassr is in jeopardy right before their clash against Inter Miami. Head coach Luis Castro addressed the media before the game against Lionel Messi‘s men, providing an update on his playing eleven. Fans were left utterly disappointed by the manager, who confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo would be unavailable for the fixture despite his presence in the first-team squad. With the Al Nassr skipper set to miss the crucial fixture, it will be intriguing to see who Luis Castro uses to fill the massive void.

The Al Nassr skipper is not the only absentee from the game. Luis Castro’s men will also miss out on the services of both Sadio Mane and Seko Fofana, with the duo unavailable for selection due to AFCON. It is a colossal blow for the SPL side as they will be without three of their key first-team players as they take on Inter Miami in less than twenty-four hours.

Who could Luis Castro use as Cristiano Ronaldo’s replacement?

The Al Nassr head coach will have his work cut out for him come Thursday. Castro and his men have a lot of pressure on their shoulders, with fans expecting the side to get a win over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. However, the manager will have to bring out his best team forward. With Cristiano Ronaldo absent from the squad, here are the players who could fill in for the player.

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Mohammed Maran: The twenty-two-year-old could be given the nod ahead of the other names on the first team. Maran has made six appearances for Al Nassr this season across competitions, finding the back of the net once. It could be an enormous opportunity for the youngster to impress his head coach and find his name on the squad sheet for the future.

Meshari Al-Nemer: The second option is 20YO Meshari Al-Nemer, with the young striker considered one of the top Saudi Arabian prospects. Al-Nemer has made four outings for Al Nassr this season. However, he has yet to open his account, recognizing he played for just 16 minutes in total this season.

READ MORE: Injury Update: “Difficult” for Cristiano Ronaldo to Face Lionel Messi & Inter Miami in Riyadh Season Cup

Luis Castro confirms Ronaldo’s absence

There have been a lot of doubts surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s participation in the highly anticipated clash against Inter Miami. The Al Nassr head coach commented about the situation while addressing the media during his press conference.

Castro stated, “We will not see [Messi vs Ronaldo]. Ronaldo is in the final part of his recovery to join the group. We hope that in the next few days, you can start working with the team. He will be absent from the game.” 

The player has been the team’s top scorer this season, and his absence could promise them valuable goals. Do you think Al Nassr can get a win over Inter Miami without Cristiano Ronaldo? Let us know in the comments below.

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