Ronaldo strike and Benzema move unsettle Saudi Pro League title race

Cristiano Ronaldo has downed tools amid Al-Nassr's struggles, after recently saying it was important to be professional and keep pushing; the decision has left questions over whether the Pro League title race is a fair fight and is a poor look for the competition.

Saudi clubs have begun a more frugal recruitment approach, partly due to rising investment in other sports, shifting focus toward promising youngsters rather than ageing superstars, even as attempts to sign players like Vinicius Jr and the suggestion Mohamed Salah could eventually join the league underline PIF's ambitions.

Amid the controversy, a Ronaldo-less Al-Nassr beat Al-Riyadh thanks to a solitary strike from Mane to close the gap to Al-Hilal to one point, while Al-Hilal were held to a 0-0 draw by Al-Ahli; attention has instead centered on whether Ronaldo will return for the upcoming clash with Al-Ittihad, a fixture further charged by Karim Benzema's move to Al-Hilal.

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