The absence of Saudi international goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi, the guardian of Al-Nassr FC's net, from the team's recent matches has sparked controversy and questions among fans and sports enthusiasts in the Kingdom. This absence comes at a crucial time in the season, as Al-Nassr is competing on several domestic and continental fronts, making clarification essential to dispel rumors.

In this context, Meshaal Al-Safai, Nawaf Al-Aqidi's agent, made important media statements clarifying his client's situation. Al-Safai confirmed that the real reason behind Al-Aqidi's exclusion was not technical or disciplinary, but rather due to purely health reasons. Al-Safai stated, "Nawaf Al-Aqidi has a chronic sinus condition, and this problem causes him particular complications while traveling by air.".

The agent explained the details of the goalkeeper's struggles with international travel, noting that the air pressure negatively impacts his health, forcing the administrative and medical staff to make special arrangements. He added, "On some international trips, Nawaf isn't with the official delegation at the same time. He either arrives in the city before they do to avoid immediate exhaustion, or he joins them later after his condition stabilizes, to ensure his safety and readiness.".

Medically speaking, it is known that sinus infections can be greatly aggravated by changes in air pressure inside airplanes, causing severe pain and headaches that may prevent a player from performing training or playing matches with full concentration. This justifies the extreme caution with which Al-Nasr’s medical staff is dealing with Al-Aqeedi’s case to ensure that the injury does not worsen.

On the technical front, and given Al-Aqeedi's health condition, the team has been relying primarily on Brazilian goalkeeper Pinto Matheus recently. Reports and observations of the Al-Nassr situation – according to the source – indicate that prominent coaches like Jorge Jesus (referring to the intense competition and the context of the circulating news) are opting for the fittest players. Pinto has proven his worth in defending the team's goal in domestic and continental competitions, capitalizing on Al-Aqeedi's absence to solidify his place in the starting lineup.

This clarification comes as Al-Nassr prepares for a crucial and highly anticipated match against Al-Fateh. This game is part of the 22nd round of the Saudi Professional League, with Al-Nassr facing a tough away fixture at Al-Fateh's home ground. This match is of paramount importance to the Riyadh-based club, which is striving to continue accumulating points and compete strongly for the league title. Therefore, the stability of the goalkeeper position will be a decisive factor in the team's performance during the remaining rounds.

Portuguese football legend and Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his full readiness to play in his team's upcoming match against Al-Fateh, in the 22nd round of the Saudi Professional League. This announcement brought reassurance to Al-Nassr fans, who had been eagerly awaiting the return of their star player.

Cristiano Ronaldo posted a recent photo of himself from Al-Nassr's team training session on his official Twitter account (formerly known as X). In the photo, he appears to be performing the exercises with great seriousness and enthusiasm in preparation for the upcoming match. The "Madeira Rocket" accompanied the photo with a brief but telling caption about his mental and physical state: "Very focused," clearly indicating his readiness for the match and his complete concentration on securing the three points.

Cristiano Ronaldo's return is of paramount importance to the Riyadh-based team at this crucial juncture in the season, as "CR7" had missed the last three matches. His absence had sparked widespread concern within Al-Nassr's sporting circles, given the Portuguese star's significant leadership and tactical role on the pitch, and his direct impact on the team's results and attacking performance.

This strong comeback comes just hours before the kickoff of Al-Nassr's match against Al-Fateh, scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday. Al-Nassr aims to continue its pursuit of the top spot and compete fiercely for the Saudi Professional League title. The match against Al-Fateh is considered a crucial juncture in the team's journey, requiring a high level of mental and technical readiness to overcome the opponent. This is further bolstered by the presence of a player of Ronaldo's caliber and experience, who has consistently proven decisive in such high-stakes encounters.

From a technical standpoint, Ronaldo's presence represents a tremendous morale boost for his teammates and puts psychological pressure on opposing defenses. Saudi and international fans of the Saudi Professional League eagerly await the return of the all-time top scorer to his goal-scoring form, especially since the league has become a global attraction thanks to its draw in some of the world's biggest football stars, raising the level of competition and excitement in every round.

It is worth noting that Al-Nasr's coaching staff has been working intensively over the past few days to prepare Ronaldo and ensure his full recovery, so that he will be fit to lead the team's attack in this crucial round, which promises a strong and exciting match that football fans are waiting for.

All eyes in Saudi football are on the highly anticipated clash between Al-Nassr and Al-Fateh, in the 22nd round of the Saudi Professional League. As part of intensive preparations for this encounter, Al-Nassr's Portuguese coach, Jorge Jesus, has made crucial decisions regarding the squad that will travel to face Al-Fateh, while the "Global" team aims to continue its winning streak and close the gap on the league leaders.

Regarding tactical decisions, coach Jorge Jesus decided to exclude Iraqi professional Haider Abdulkarim from the final squad called up for the match to be held at Al-Fateh Stadium. This decision was based purely on the Portuguese coach's tactical vision, as he preferred to rely on alternative tactical options that suit the opponent's nature and playing style. The squad includes all other foreign players in the team, reflecting the coaching staff's desire to field their strongest lineup to secure the three points and not let any opportunity slip away.

The Al-Nassr vs. Al-Fateh match is of paramount importance in the title race this season. Al-Nassr enters the game with victory as their sole objective, aiming to close the gap on their arch-rivals, Al-Hilal, who currently sit atop the Roshan Professional League standings. Based on the current points tally, the narrow margin between the two teams – a mere single point – makes any slip-up unacceptable at this crucial stage of the league, placing added pressure on Jesus's squad to perform at their best to maintain their title hopes.

Historically and technically, matches between Al-Nassr and Al-Fateh have always been highly competitive and exciting. Al-Fateh is a team with a strong character, especially when playing at home in Al-Ahsa in front of their fans. Having already tasted victory by winning the league title in a previous season, Al-Fateh has the ability to upset the big teams, a fact well known to Al-Nassr's coaching staff. This necessitates that the players maintain a high level of mental and physical focus throughout the match to overcome this stubborn opponent.

This meeting comes amidst a broader context of unprecedented qualitative development and fierce competition in the Saudi Professional League, thanks to significant support and the attraction of elite international football stars. This has raised the league's market and technical value, making every match feel like an early final. This evolution necessitates that coaches, including Jesus, employ highly intelligent tactical approaches and flexibility in selecting the most suitable lineup for each stage of the season.

In conclusion, Al-Nassr fans are placing great faith in coach Jorge Jesus's tactical acumen in managing such crucial matches and his ability to utilize the available stars to unlock the opponent's defense. The exclusion of a player of Haider Abdulkarim's caliber may be part of a player rotation strategy or a specific tactic for this match, but the ultimate goal remains the same: to return with all three points to continue the march towards the league title and bring joy to Al-Nassr's trophy-hungry fans.