Al-Nassr fans on social media have slammed Cristiano Ronaldo's teammate, Abdulelah Al-Amri, after their 5-0 win over Istiklol in the AFC Cup on Wednesday, September 17. They believe the defender was a weak link and even escaped a red card in the game.
Abdulrahman Ghareeb gave Al-Nassr the lead in the 14th minute of the game before former Chelsea man Angelo Gabriel made it 2-0 within three minutes. Ronaldo was not part of the AFC Cup game, but his side dominated and held on to the lead until halftime.
Wesley made it 3-0 just before the hour mark, and the game looked set to end with the same scoreline, but the Al-Nassr players wanted more. Kingsley Coman made it 4-0 with a minute left, and Sadio Mane made it a formidable scoreline with a fifth deep into injury time.
While it turned out to be a comfortable win for Al-Nassr, it could have easily gone the opposite way, as Al-Amri only got booked for a high boot that almost connected with an opponent's head. Fans were quick to point it out during the game and posted:
Al-Nassr will return to action on Saturday, September 20, when they host Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to return to the team.
MLS clubs urged to make move to sign Cristiano Ronaldo by Herculez Gomez
ESPN pundit Herculez Gomez urged MLS sides to make a move for Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer. He believed that the Al-Nassr star can be lured like Inter Miami got Lionel Messi and said:
“Nobody thought Lionel Messi would come, and yet he did. What did it take? It took ownership and I think it’s going to be a similar package [to recruit Ronaldo to MLS],” Gomez said on Futbol Americas. “American owner John Textor (owns Botafogo, Crystal Palace and American Eagle Football Group), they want, as per reports, to offer a similar package for Cristiano Ronaldo to join Botafogo, or one of the teams, ahead of the Club World Cup.
“Do I see someone within Major League Soccer with the ability to do that? Maybe. Should they do that? Absolutely. There is no absolute way you have Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi playing in the same league, and you’re not going to pay attention. Whether you’re a hater of what they have become now, or whether you’re a lover of what they’ve done to the game. Two players who have played at the highest of levels for so long, who have competed against one another."
Cristiano Ronaldo was a free agent for a short span in the summer after his contract at Al-Nassr expired. He ended up signing a new deal to extend his stay until 2027.