Ronaldo’s hopes of lifting a trophy got here to an finish when Al-Ittihad clinched the league identify with one fit residue. This marked Al-Ittihad’s first league triumph since 2009, rushing Ronaldo’s aspirations of quick good fortune with Al-Nassr.
The Portuguese ahead departed Manchester United the former past following a debatable tv interview, expressing emotions of betrayal and a insufficiency of recognize for then-manager Erik ten Hag. Al-Nassr capitalised at the alternative and signed Ronaldo till 2025 in a do business in reportedly significance over 200 million euros ($214.61 million), making him the arena’s highest-paid athlete consistent with Forbes.
During his tenure, Ronaldo scored an important 14 targets in 16 league video games. Alternatively, he failed to search out the online all over a an important 1-1 draw in opposition to Al-Ettifaq, a fit by which he used to be substituted.
Ronaldo’s performances in numerous key video games had been underwhelming, steadily to effect frustration, which every now and then manifested in his interactions with teammates. The primary ignored alternative for a trophy got here within the Saudi Tremendous Cup, the place Al-Nassr suffered a 3-1 defeat to Al-Ittihad within the semi-finals in January.
Reflecting on his adaptation to the workforce, Ronaldo said the demanding situations of settling in all over the preliminary video games, highlighting the will for working out amongst teammates. He expressed self belief in attaining upper ranges of efficiency steadily.
“It is not easy to adapt in the first five, six or seven games. Everyone knows my movements now and I am beginning to understand the movements of the rest of the players. Step by step we can reach higher levels,” Ronaldo mentioned.
Al-Nassr’s identify hopes took an important fritter away on March 9 after they suffered a 1-0 loss to Al-Ittihad, with Brazilian ahead Romarinho scoring the decisive target, overshadowing Ronaldo’s presence.
Additional setbacks adopted, as Al-Nassr drew with Al-Fayha and due to this fact sacked professor Rudi Garcia amidst experiences of disagreements with gamers. This upheaval adversely affected the workforce’s possibilities of clinching the identify, which that they had utmost gained in 2019.
Al-Nassr’s struggles endured with a 2-0 defeat in opposition to arch-rivals Al-Hilal, adopted via a stunning 1-0 loss to lowly Al-Wehda within the King’s Cup semi-finals.
It’s remarkable to notice that occasion Ronaldo’s performances didn’t reside as much as expectancies, the workforce’s shortcomings can’t be only attributed to him. Alternatively, his presence appeared to have an affect on Anderson Talisca, a teammate who skilled a dip in method. Talisca had up to now scored 11 targets in 11 video games earlier than Ronaldo’s arrival, however controlled simplest seven targets in 11 fits along him.
(With inputs from Reuters)
