Cristiano Ronaldo is currently in a small Austrian town, and his presence triggered changes across the area. A European club even had to completely alter its preseason plans.
The Portuguese superstar will begin preseason training with Al Nassr in Saalfelden from July 20 to August 4. This is a quiet Austrian city near the German border, with a population of fewer than 20,000. However, the arrival of Ronaldo and his team surprised the locals significantly.
Bundesliga team evicted from hotel
According to Bolavip, one of the most striking consequences of Ronaldo’s visit was that a Bundesliga team, Hannover 96, was forced to vacate a luxury hotel in Saalfelden. This was due to the tight security measures planned for Cristiano’s arrival.
According to reports, the contract between Al Nassr and the Brandlhof Resort includes strict conditions to protect Cristiano Ronaldo from fan interactions, no photography and no autograph requests are allowed.@MousaQi pic.twitter.com/PWkB6nIEte
— Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) July 18, 2025
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s security team includes 16 personal bodyguards. Along with the entire Al Nassr squad and their staff, they took over the whole hotel, which could no longer accommodate the German club. As a result, Hannover 96 had to relocate to a more modest school sports complex.
German media speculated about possible frustration from Hannover 96. However, head coach Christian Titz responded calmly and diplomatically, saying: “No problem. The conditions at the new facilities are very good. The pitch is in great shape.”
During their stay in Austria, Al Nassr will play several informal friendly matches, before traveling to Portugal, then Saudi Arabia, and finally to Hong Kong to compete in the Saudi Super Cup. There, Cristiano Ronaldo’s team will face Al Ittihad in the semifinals.
