The Saudi Pro League is now home to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez.
With so much talent plying their trade there, LiveScore is the place to be for all the big talking points.
Al-Nassr thrash Miami
Former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte scored from inside his own half as Al-Nassr thrashed Inter Miami 6-0.
Cristiano Ronaldo was absent from the much-anticipated friendly against Lionel Messi’s MLS side but the 38-year-old superstar’s team-mates put on a dominant display without him.
Brazilian Talisca bagged a hat-trick for the Saudi Pro League club, with Otavio and Mohammed Maran also on target in Riyadh, as Messi was limited to just seven minutes from the bench.
No Ronaldo? Don’t worry.. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/zpWf9XIbwn
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 1, 2024
Ronaldo in a Mess
Cristiano Ronaldo’s reunion with old foe Lionel Messi is OFF after the Al-Nassr forward was ruled out of Thursday’s friendly with Inter Miami through injury.
Ronaldo’s boss Luis Castro has confirmed his star man has not yet fully shaken off the calf problem which saw the Saudi club’s two scheduled friendlies in China cancelled last week.
Castro said: “Ronaldo is in the final part of his recovery to join the group. We hope that in the next few days you can start working with the team but he will be absent from the game.”
Ney not happy
Neymar has hit back at online trolls who mocked him for supposedly putting on weight during his recovery from injury.
The 31-year-old Al-Hilal forward is out for the season after damaging his anterior cruciate ligament on Brazil duty in October but took to his Instagram account to hit back at recent comments over his size.
Neymar wrote: “Today’s training session finished. Overweight ok, but fat? I don’t think so.”
Ospina returns
David Ospina is set to return to action for Al-Nassr after being re-registered for their Saudi Pro League squad.
The former Arsenal goalkeeper, 35, has just returned from a year out with a serious elbow injury which had left him facing an uncertain future in the Middle East.
But the club have confirmed the Colombian will be available for the second half of their league campaign, which recommences on February 17.
Adios, Ivan
Sevilla have confirmed midfielder Ivan Rakitic has joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab.
The 35-year-old Croatian made a total of 323 appearances for the Spanish club — the 11th most in their history.
But now he joins some of Europe’s biggest stars in making the switch to the Middle East, signing a contract until the summer of 2025.