"Plumbers FC with exceptions", "There will be no creativity" - Fans react as Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr name XI for Al-Wehda clash

Netizens have reacted to Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr naming their starting XI ahead of their clash against Al-Wehda on Tuesday, February 25, at the King Abdul Aziz Stadium. A win will elevate the Knights of Najd to 47 points in the Saudi Pro League table, bringing them level with third-placed Al-Qadisiyah.

For the game against Al-Wehda, manager Stefano Pioli has gone with the frontline of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and Abdulrahman Ghareeb. Ali Al-Hassan, Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem, and Ayman Yahya will control the midfield. The Al-Nassr backline will consist of Majed Qasheesh, Aymeric Laporte, Mohammed Al-Fatil, and Nawaf Boushal. Bento will be the man guarding the goal.

Al-Nassr faithful on X (formerly Twitter) were quick to pen down their thoughts about the starting lineup against Al-Wehda. Among them, several users criticized the lineup, especially the exclusion of Angelo from the starting XI. Some popular comments on X are as follows:

"Plumbers fc with exceptions," a fan wrote.

"There will be no creativity in this game," wrote another.

"Ayman is a great super sub. They should’ve started Angelo. F*ck this coach," opined another user on X.

One user questioned the inclusion of Mohammed Al-Fatil in the starting lineup, tweeting:

"Gosh. Fatil?"

"And they want to win the league," mocked a netizen.

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Exploring key numbers before Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr take on Al-Wehda

Al Nassr v Al Ettifaq - Saudi Pro League - Source: Getty (Photo by Al Nassr FC/Al Nassr FC via Getty Images)

History is in favor of Cristiano Ronaldo's side in their clash against Al-Wehda. The two sides have met each other 46 times in the past, with Al-Wehda winning just nine. Cristiano Ronaldo's side have won 29 games and the remaining eight have resulted in stalemates.

Furthermore, Al-Wehda have won just two of their last ten clashes against the Knights of Najd, not scoring in five of them. On the flip side, Al-Nassr have been prolific against this opposition, scoring a whopping 16 goals in their last five meetings across competitions.

This season, Al-Wehda are at rock bottom in the Saudi Pro League table and have the worst defensive record with 51 goals conceded in 21 games. Al-Nassr, meanwhile have the third-best offensive record and have scored 45 goals in 21 matches.

Cristiano Ronaldo also boasts a formidable record against Al-Wehda. In five matches, the talismanic Portuguese has scored four goals. Furthermore, he is in stellar form this season, scoring nine goals and an assist in his last 10 club games across competitions.