very sad and painful depart Al Nassr club just fired one of the key players his leaving Al Nassr very painful….

 

Cristiano Ronaldo has conveyed a message to supporters of Al Nassr following the club’s defeat to Al Ittihad, a loss that prompted the forward to express frustration by kicking water bottles as he left the field.

Nassr, aiming for their first Saudi Pro league title in four years, entered the match in Jeddah as league leaders but suffered a 1-0 loss to their closest rivals at the King Abdullah Sports City. Ro Marinho, a former Al Jazira striker, netted the game’s sole goal with 10 minutes remaining.

This defeat, Ronaldo’s first in the league since joining in December, and Nassr’s first in 18 top-flight matches, saw the Riyadh side drop to second place, trailing Ittihad by one point with 10 rounds left.

Despite scoring eight goals last month, Ronaldo failed to find the net for the second consecutive game, though he did force a notable save from Ittihad goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe near the end of the match.

Following the match, Ronaldo appeared visibly disappointed. Despite attempts by some of his Nassr teammates to calm him down, he was captured on camera kicking several water bottles at the side of the pitch as he made his way to the tunnel.

Later, Ronaldo, 38, tweeted: “Disappointed with the result, but we stay focused on our season and the games ahead. Thank you, Al Nassr fans, for your support, we know we can count on you!”

Nassr, winners of the Saudi league nine times, will face 11th-placed Abha in the quarterfinals of the King’s Cup on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Ittihad extended their unbeaten streak to 11 matches, with nine victories during that period. The Jeddah side, aiming for their ninth top-flight title but their first since 2009, had not conceded a goal in their last seven games.

Manager Nuno Espirito Santo, in his first managerial role since departing Tottenham Hotspur in late 2021, commented after the match: “We encountered a well-organized team that didn’t leave us space and was dangerous on counterattacks. But our players performed admirably by controlling possession and being patient.”

He added, “The players deserve the credit, not me. The atmosphere in the stadium was fantastic today and it supported the team throughout the match. This connection between players and fans is very beneficial for the team.”