Cristiano Ronaldo Set To Face Lionel Messi  – PSG Confirm Date of The Clash

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are set to play their first game against each other in over two years, though in an uncompetitive setting.

Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed they will take on an all-star XI from Saudi Pro League sides Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr – Cristiano Ronaldo’s new club – on Thursday 19 January in an exhibition match in the country’s capital, Riyadh.

Recent Al Nassr signing Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to play for the Saudi all-star XI, while Lionel Messi will likely line up for PSG.

PSG will leave France on January 17 and visit Doha in Qatar and then Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, where they will play a friendly match at King Fahd Stadium on January 19.

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Qatar-owned PSG will travel to Doha for promotional work with the club’s portfolio of Qatari sponsors, before heading to Saudi Arabia to take on the all-star XI in a friendly.

The game will take place at the King Fahd Stadium, which has a capacity of more than 68,000 people.

While Ronaldo is yet to make his debut for Al-Nassr, due to a two-game international ban issued by the FA, his manager, Rudi Garcia, confirmed the Portuguese forward is set to play in the match, despite not having appeared in the yellow shirt of Al-Nassr in a competitive fixture.

“It [Ronaldo’s debut] won’t be with the Al Nassr jersey. It will be a mix between Al Hilal and Al Nassr,” Garcia said.

Ronaldo’s inclusion will see him come up against old rival Lionel Messi for the first time since a Champions League match in December 2020, when they were at Juventus and Barcelona, respectively.

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Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and former Real Madrid teammate Sergio Ramos will all also travel with the PSG squad to the Middle East. Al-Nassr are currently leading the Saudi Pro League, having won nine of their 12 games so far this season.

Meanwhile, the current Asian Champions League and Saudi Pro League holders Al-Hilal boast Salem Al-Dawsari, the winger who scored Saudi Arabia’s winning goal against Argentina at World Cup 2022.

Completing the trip amid a busy schedule, PSG will fit their Winter Tour in in between a Ligue 1 fixture against Rennes on Sunday, and their Round of 32 game the Monday eight days after – the opponent is still to be confirmed.

A statement from PSG read : “The team will fly out on January 17th to Doha then travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to play against an all-star XI from Saudi top clubs Al Hilal and Al Nassr.

“The match will be held at King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh on January 19th. The team will fly back after the game to Paris.”