Portuguese international Cristiano Ronaldo was suspended for one match because he made an offensive gesture towards the fans of the opposing team during the last match of the Saudi Football League.
The suspension was announced on Wednesday evening in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, where Cristiano Ronaldo's team, Al-Nassr, beat Al-Shabab 3-2 away from home on Sunday.
In a round 21 match, Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring with a penalty kick in the 20th minute, then Belgian Yannick Carrasco equalized for Al-Shabab with a score of 45+8 from the 11-meter mark as well.
At the beginning of the second half, Portuguese international player Otavio sent an assist to Brazilian Talisca, who put Al-Nasr ahead on the scoreboard, but the hosts responded again, this time through Canary striker Carlos Junior.
The winning goal came only in the 87th minute, again by Talisca, to secure victory for Al-Nassr, a team coached by Portuguese Luis Castro.
Videos posted on social media show the Portuguese striker placing one hand on his ear and repeatedly moving the other hand, near his genitals, towards the fans of Al-Shabab, who is coached by Portuguese Vitor Pereira.
According to the videos, at the time the 39-year-old Portuguese made this offensive gesture, fans of the home team were chanting “Messi,” in reference to Argentine footballer Lionel Messi.
Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to miss Al-Nasr's next match scheduled for today at home against Al-Hazm, which is in last place in the Saudi League.
Al-Nasr occupies second place with 52 points, seven points behind leaders Al-Hilal, which includes two Portuguese players, coach Jorge Jesus and midfielder Ruben Neves.
This season, Cristiano Ronaldo has already scored 21 goals in the 19 matches he played in the Saudi League, and added another goal in the Saudi Cup, five in the AFC Champions League, and 10 goals for the Portuguese national team, for a total of 37 goals.
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