- Nasima Akter
Ronaldo Storms Off After Al-Nassr Loss
Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been making headlines once again - but this time for losing his cool on the field. The 38-year-old was seen in an on-field spat after his team, Al-Nassr, was held to a 0-0 draw by Al-Feiha in the Saudi Pro League.
Despite scoring 11 league goals in just 10 games since moving to the Middle East, Ronaldo and his teammates were left frustrated after failing to break down a stubborn Al-Feiha outfit.
After the final whistle, Ronaldo was visibly agitated and was captured sharing words with Al-Feiha's Ali Al-Zaqaan. The forward accused Al-Zaqaan of time-wasting and said, "You don't want to play," which sparked a heated confrontation between the two players.
Other players on both teams were also in danger of losing their discipline as Ronaldo stormed off the field. Handshakes soon happened, but not before Al-Nassr manager Rudi Garcia went on the field to argue with the match officials.
What Happened in the Match
During the match, Al Nassr was hoping to overtake Al Ittihad at the top of the table, but the leaders have proven to be tough opponents. Ronaldo's team went into the match at the King Salman Sport City Stadium after a 5-0 victory over Al Adalah on Tuesday night, with Ronaldo scoring twice.
The first half of the game was lacking clear-cut chances, and Ronaldo’s heavy touch prevented him from scoring in the first half. Al Nassr pushed hard after the interval, but Al Feiha goalkeeper Stojkovic was not tested enough despite their best efforts.
Ronaldo had a chance to score with a free-kick, but his effort sailed over the crossbar. Talisca’s goal for Al Nassr was ruled out for offside.
Ronaldo and Al-Nassr's Status
Ronaldo's move to Saudi Arabia at the turn of the year was met with much fanfare, and he hinted that he had achieved all he set out to in Europe. The forward stated that he felt the move was the right moment to share his experience in Asia and that he was excited to join his teammates as soon as possible.
Despite his impressive goal-scoring form, Ronaldo and his team are now three points behind title rivals Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League and have just seven matches left to catch up. This means that Ronaldo is in danger of missing out on what would be his first domestic title since moving to the Middle East.
However, Ronaldo had previously hinted that he was excited to take on a new challenge in Asia, after winning everything he set out to achieve in European football. "Al-Nassr's vision is very inspiring and impressive. I look forward to a different league experience in a different country. I am excited to join my teammates as soon as possible," he had said earlier.
As the league campaign draws to a close, all eyes will be on Ronaldo and Al-Nassr to see if they can pull off a late surge and claim the domestic title.
Ronaldo and his teammates will try to keep their hopes alive when they play Al Hilal on April 18th.
