Iñigo Martinez is back training with Al Nassr’s main group and is fit to be available for Wednesday’s Saudi Pro League match against Al Ettifaq, giving Jorge Jesus another defensive option as the leaders prepare for the stretch run.
Arriyadiyah reported that Jesus will decide whether Martinez starts on April 15. The center back had been sidelined since a hamstring tear before the March FIFA window and missed the 5-2 win over Al Najma, where Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace, as well as the 2-0 victory over Al Akhdoud.
Martinez’s return matters because he has been one of Jesus’ most trusted players this season. He has made 36 appearances across all competitions, started 35 of them and been substituted only four times, a record that underlines how central he has been to Al Nassr’s defensive structure.
Jesus said after the Al Najma match that his side “were not good defensively today, especially at the back line,” adding that “we missed Martinez, and that affected our defensive balance.” That assessment framed the urgency of getting him back into the squad as Al Nassr, sitting first in the league on 73 points, tries to protect its lead.
There is still a selection decision to be made, though. Martinez is available, but Jesus has not said whether he will start against Al Ettifaq, and the coach has been careful with other key players as the season tightens.
Ronaldo and the other starters from the Al Akhdoud match also took part in recovery sessions ahead of the game. The forward has featured in two matches since returning from injury and scored three goals, while being substituted late in both to preserve his fitness for the final stretch.
That is the shape of Al Nassr’s week: a defender back, a striker in form and a manager trying to balance immediate points with the longer chase for the title.
