"Easy to make the decision" - Al-Nassr star explains why he joined Cristiano Ronaldo's side despite receiving offer from SPL rivals Al-Ittihad

Brazil international Bento Krepski has admitted he joined Al-Nassr last summer due to the opportunity of playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. The Brazilian shot-stopper also namedropped other foreigners like Otavio and Marcelo Brozovic, who were pivotal in his decision, despite having an offer from Al-Ittihad.

After making a name for himself for four years at Athletico Paranaense, Bento penned a four-year deal with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr on July 17, 2024. The Knights of Najd signed the 25-year-old for a reported fee of €18 million, even though their Saudi Pro League rivals Al-Ittihad were also keen on his signature.

Bento explained why he made this move, stating (via ge globo):

"It weighed a little. I had an offer from Ittihad, we talked about it, but when I found out that Al Nassr was interested, I prioritized Cristiano more. There's Otávio, Brozovic, the foreigners who were here. It was easy to make the decision afterwards. I couldn't miss the opportunity to play with him."

He added:

"I knew about the Arabs' interest even before the Copa América, but I told my agents that I didn't want to hear it, that Europe was the preferred option. After the Copa América, this episode with Inter Milan happened. I didn't really want to come to Arabia, you know? Moving so suddenly to make a dream come true..."

"I didn't expect it. I talked to my family, I talked to the people from the national team, they said I would stay on their radar, and after I made the decision, I was very happy. Things went very well, they evolved a lot."

Bento has made a strong start to his Al-Nassr tenure alongside Cristiano Ronaldo after replacing Nawaf Al-Aqidi in the starting XI. The Brazilian shot-stopper has kept 12 clean sheets in 38 appearances for the Knights of Najd across all competitions this season.

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When will Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr next be back in action?

Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't featured for Al-Nassr for over a week due to the current international break, with their most-recent fixture being a 3-1 win over Al-Kholood (March 15). They will next face Saudi local rivals Al-Hilal in the SPL on Friday, April 4.

A win for the Knights of Najd would boost their title aspirations. They are currently third in the table with 51 points from 25 games, 10 points behind leaders Al-Ittihad and six behind Al-Hilal. The last time these two sides faced each other in the league, they played out a 1-1 draw at Al-Awwal Park, with Anderson Talisca and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic getting on the scoresheet.

All eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo to inspire Al-Nassr to victory. The 40-year-old remains a lethal threat up front and has garnered 28 goals and four assists in 33 appearances across competitions this season.