Ronaldo ready as Postecoglou outlines Al Nassr’s approach to new Saudi Pro League season

Cristiano Ronaldo is available for Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al Fateh on Saturday, manager Ange Postecoglou has said, while insisting competition for places remains open across the squad, including in goal.

The Portuguese forward’s condition had been one of the main concerns for Al Nassr supporters before their first league match of the campaign. Ronaldo, who captains the side, has no issue preventing him from playing, according to Postecoglou.

“Ronaldo is always ready,” the Australian said at his pre-match news conference.

The fixture will be Postecoglou’s first official match in charge of Al Nassr, with the club hoping to make an early statement about their ability to challenge strongly for the major trophies this season.

Attention has also focused on the future of goalkeepers Nawaf Al-Aqidi and Bento. However, Postecoglou did not indicate that either player had been ruled out of his plans, saying his immediate responsibility was to work with the group currently available to him.

“My role is to deal with the players who are here at the moment, and they are all part of the team. The competition between them is good, and everyone is performing well,” he said.

Those comments suggest the battle for starting positions remains unresolved, with the coaching staff continuing to assess the players rather than treating any member of the squad as outside their plans.

Postecoglou also acknowledged that Al Nassr had encountered several difficulties during their preparations for the new campaign. He said those issues had to be managed properly rather than used as explanations before competitive football had even begun.

“When we talked about the challenges, we knew there were different circumstances and challenges, but whatever the circumstances are, we have to deal with them and prepare well,” he said.

The manager stopped short of promising Al Nassr supporters that the team would win trophies during his first season, but made clear that achieving success remained his constant ambition.

“Of course, I do not promise anything, and I always achieve something from the first season. It is simply that wherever I go, I like to achieve success,” Postecoglou said.

He added that both the coaching staff and the players had worked hard during the build-up to the campaign in an effort to put the team in the best possible condition, despite the obstacles they had faced during pre-season.

“We certainly had some challenges, but through the efforts of the players and the coaching staff, we managed to prepare the team well,” he said.

That preparation, Postecoglou explained, had involved more than simply correcting weaknesses. The work had also focused on developing a style of play capable of helping Al Nassr reach their objectives during the season.

The coach ended by outlining the footballing philosophy he wants his team to display when they begin their league campaign.

“I like football that leads us to winning,” he said.

Al Nassr’s meeting with Al Fateh will therefore provide the first competitive test of that approach, as well as the first indication of how Postecoglou intends to use his squad. With Ronaldo expected to be available and the goalkeeping competition still open, supporters will be watching closely to see how the new manager’s plans translate on the pitch.