On February 3, according to the Portuguese media outlet A Bola, after Monday's match, Al-Nassr's management ordered a ban on head coach Jorge Jesus and any players from making any public statements in response to the tensions caused by Cristiano Ronaldo's protests. The club has thus entered a "media blackout period."
This series of events is also seen as a dangerous sign for Saudi football's management. In recent years, they have consistently attracted world-class stars with their substantial financial resources, but now they face such a thorny internal conflict for the first time.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, has a contract worth a staggering £488,000 per day. According to A Bola, he is extremely dissatisfied with the Saudi Public Investment Fund's handling of Al-Nassr's financial problems.
For the club, the worst-case scenario is that Ronaldo may choose to leave before his contract expires in 2027. Last December, he hinted that his career might not end in Saudi Arabia: "My passion remains high, and I want to continue playing.
Whether in the Middle East or in Europe, it doesn't matter where I play."
Previously, Ronaldo, dissatisfied with the club's insufficient investment in the transfer market, refused to travel with Al-Nassr to Al-Riyadh on Monday, expressing his anger through a strike.
Therefore, Al-Hilal—currently leading the Saudi professional league by only one point over Al-Nassr—was allowed to sign Benzema, one of his most important allies during his time at Real Madrid, a blow to Ronaldo.
A key background point to note is that Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al Ahli are all controlled by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
It is understood that since Ronaldo joined in the 2022-23 season, Al-Hilal's net investment has exceeded Al-Nassr's by approximately £180 million. During this period, Al-Hilal is poised to win their second league title in three years, while Ronaldo has yet to win any major trophies in the Middle East.
After publicly criticizing the club's insufficient investment, Ronaldo has clearly lost out in this transfer battle. Benzema has moved to Al-Nassr's direct title rivals, and is also controlled by PIF. In the January transfer window, Al-Nassr only signed 21-year-old Iraqi midfielder Haydeer Abdulkareem; while Al-Hilal made several moves, bringing in several strong reinforcements, including Spanish center-back Pablo Mari for £1.7 million and Rennes striker Kader Meïté for a whopping £26 million.
Last month, Al-Nassr manager Jorge Jesus publicly pointed out the financial inequality within the Saudi league, stating bluntly, "Al-Nassr does not have the same political influence as Al-Hilal." He himself is Al-Hilal's former manager.