"Ronaldo carries this team so hard" - Twitter reacts as Al-Nassr slump to 2-1 defeat against Al-Ettifaq in absence of Cristiano Ronaldo

By Bhargav

Modified Aug 14, 2023 21:13 GMT

Al-Nassr slumped to defeat in their SPL opener on Monday.

Fans were scathing in their assessment of Al-Nassr as the 2022–23 Saudi Pro League runner-ups, without Cristiano Ronaldo, fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Al-Ettifaq on Monday (August 14).

Ronaldo, 38, played a starring role as nine-man Al-Nassr won their first trophy of the season, beating fellow SPL side Al-Hilal in the Arab Club Champions Club final.

The Portugal captain scored in the 71st minute to force extra time, where he netted in the eighth minute to win his first silverware outside Europe. However, the win came at a cost, as the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was taken off due to injury.

He did not feature in the SPL opener, where new signing Sadio Mane gave Al-Alamy a fourth-minute lead. However, Al-Ettifaq equalized through Robin Quaisson (47th minute) before Moussa Dembele netted a 53rd-minute winner. Al-Nassr failed to muster a response, leaving fans seething.

Luis Castro's side next take on Al-Taawoun at home on Friday, where they will hope to get off to a good start for the season. Ronaldo's participation in the game remains unknown at this moment.

How has Cristiano Ronaldo fared at Al-Nassr so far?

Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at Al-Nassr in December last year on a free transfer after mutually terminating his contract with Manchester United.

The 2016 European Championship winner had a decent 'half' season, bagging 14 goals and two assists—all in the league—in 19 games across competitions.

However, for the first time in his illustrious career, Ronaldo endured back-to-back trophyless campaigns. Determined to avoid the same fate, Ronaldo started the 2023–24 season on fire.

The 38-year-old scored six goals in as many games in the Arab Club Champions Cup. He scored in five straight games, including twice in the final, as Al-Nassr reigned supreme.

Ronaldo will next look to win the league in a fourth different country, adding to his exploits in England (Manchester United), Spain (Real Madrid), and Italy (Juventus).

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 18 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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