Saalfelden’s Peace Disrupted by Cristiano’s Arrival

Cristiano Ronaldo is once again in the spotlight—this time away from the pitch. The Al-Nassr forward selected the quiet Austrian town of Saalfelden as the base for his team’s preseason preparations from July 20 to August 4. What initially seemed like a routine summer stay quickly became a logistical challenge for others in the area.

Known for its tranquility and its appeal to European clubs seeking calm training environments, Saalfelden was anything but quiet upon Ronaldo’s arrival. Hannover 96, a club from Germany’s 2. Bundesliga, had to abandon its usual training location due to the star’s presence.

The reason? The extensive security operation surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese icon arrived with 16 personal bodyguards, in addition to Al-Nassr’s full squad, coaching staff, and executives. The luxury hotel that typically hosts Hannover 96 was unable to accommodate the extra demands, as Ronaldo’s team required full exclusivity to ensure privacy and safety.

Hannover 96 Responds With Diplomacy

Faced with the unexpected disruption, Hannover 96 relocated to a modest school sports complex nearby to continue their preseason. Instead of reacting with frustration, head coach Christian Titz remained composed and supportive: “It’s no problem. The new facilities are very good. The pitch is in excellent condition,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Al-Nassr continues its European tour, which includes friendly matches to fine-tune the squad ahead of official competitions. After Austria, the club will travel to Portugal, return to Saudi Arabia, and eventually head to Hong Kong, where they will face Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Super Cup semifinals.

What was meant to be a low-key summer training camp ended up causing ripples far beyond Al-Nassr. Once again, the global magnetism of Cristiano Ronaldo proves impossible to ignore, impacting not just fans and media, but even the logistics of rival clubs sharing the same space.