WHAT HAPPENED? The topic of Ronaldo's move to the Saudi Pro League is never far from discussion and the subject came up once more during Ancelotti's press conference prior to their Super Cup final against Barcelona on Sunday in Riyadh. The forward will forever be associated with Madrid and the Bernabeu thanks to his prolific and trophy-laden nine-year stay there. He managed to score 311 goals in just 292 appearances in the Spanish capital.
WHAT THEY SAID: When asked about Ronaldo's big-money move, Ancelotti offered a very brief response, saying: "Ronaldo is happy, very motivated. He likes the place and the country. He is highly motivated and has made the right decision."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ronaldo is yet to feature for Al-Nassr as a result of a suspension. He smashed a phone out of an Everton fan's hand last year, with the FA subsequently handing him a two-match ban. It means he'll have to wait until January 22 at the earliest to make his competitive debut for his new side. However, he could have an unlikely reunion with Lionel Messi in a friendly against Paris Saint-Germain before then.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has backed Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to join Al-Nassr in a lucrative move that will see the forward earn £175m-a-year.
After having his Manchester United contract terminated in November following a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan where he criticised manager Erik ten Hag and the club, Ronaldo was left looking for a new club.
The 37-year-old claimed that he received offers from all over the world, but opted to move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr after giving his word to the club.
Ancelotti, who coached Ronaldo at Madrid between 2013 and 2015, feels the Portuguese forward made the right call.
He has revealed that Ronaldo is more determined that ever to succeed in the Middle East after bumping into his former player in Riyadh, with Madrid currently in Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup.
'Ronaldo is complete, very motivated. He likes the place and the country. He is highly motivated and has made the right decision,' Ancelotti said, ahead of Madrid's Super Cup final against Barcelona on Sunday.
Prior to putting pen to paper on his Al-Nassr contract, Ronaldo was reportedly waiting to see if Madrid would make a bid to bring him back to the Bernabeu, four-and-a-half years after he left the Spanish giants.
However, an offer never arrived, despite concerns over the fitness of Karim Benzema, who missed a large part of the first half of the season and the World Cup through injury.
Ancelotti has allayed any fears about Benzema's condition, though, insisting the reigning Ballon d'Or winner is fit again and ready to make a major impact in the second half of the campaign.
'Benzema is back. He is very motivated, and is a very important player for us,' Ancelotti added.
'The team knew how to make up for his absence and he will help us a lot in this second half (of the season).'