Cristiano RonaldoSaudi Arabia’s debut was thrown into even more confusion tonight after his new club’s ground was closed amid reports the match had been cancelled.
Hundreds of employees, including security, chefs and stadium staff, stood outside with the gates locked.
Officials told MailOnline the stadium was empty with the game due to start in two hours.
Groups of chefs in their white uniforms and several hundred black-clad security officers waited outside the closed doors.
Supporters wearing the club’s yellow and blue colors were outside puzzled as to why there had been no official announcement.
The players’ entrance at gate nine was sealed and unguarded.
Both police and security officials told MailOnline they had been told the match was cancelled.
Any cancellation is likely to add to the embarrassment of the club, which has shelled out more than £400m to secure Ronaldo’s services for the next two and a half years.
His debut tonight had has already been banned by FIFA after the sanction of the football associations for two games, which he has not yet complied with, while he was a Manchester United player.
But the club, which has not disclosed whether it would comply with the ban, had yet to confirm whether the match would take place with or without its superstar without an official announcement.
A senior police officer told MailOnline that the game is 100% canceled and will take place on Friday night.
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