Cristiano Ronaldo endured a difficult evening as Al-Nassr suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Al Ain in their opening Asian Champions League match. The Saudi side struggled throughout the game, with Soufiane Rahimi scoring twice and Giakoumakis adding another goal before Al-Nassr conceded a fourth.
The result marked the club’s heaviest defeat in the competition since its inception in 2003, putting Ange Postecoglou’s team under immediate pressure despite starting João Félix and Sadio Mané.
Ronaldo also endured a frustrating night on a personal level. After Al Ain scored their third goal, the Portuguese forward showed his anger towards his teammates before confronting the referee. He later grabbed an opponent and threw him to the ground during an attacking situation, although the referee did not punish the incident. Emirati supporters had also taunted him with “Messi, Messi, Messi” before Ronaldo responded with sarcastic applause from the pitch.
Postecoglou defended his captain after the match when journalists questioned Ronaldo’s performance and his influence on the team. “Cristiano has already scored three goals; he had a limited pre-season. It’s not the players’ fault. They give everything and show character. It’s my responsibility,” the Australian coach said. Al-Nassr now have seven matches remaining in the competition to recover from a disastrous start.
