Al-Nassr faced yet another controversy this weekend, as the team dropped points against Al-Ettifaq, suffering a 3-2 defeat. The match, which unfolded on February 21, 2024, left Cristiano Ronaldo incensed after his teammate, Jhon Duran, was controversially sent off late in the game.
The game was intense, with Al-Nassr taking the lead twice through Ayman Yahya and Mohammed Al-Fatil. Each time, Al-Ettifaq rallied back, with Georginio Wijnaldum scoring the deciding goal just three minutes before the final whistle. The defeat marked the end of Al-Nassr's seven-game unbeaten streak and raised questions about their title aspirations, as they now sit fourth, eight points adrift of league leaders Al-Ittihad.
Ronaldo, who remains the top scorer of the league with 16 goals, could not find the net and was seen expressing his frustration on multiple occasions during the match. His emotions boiled over when Duran was sent off after appearing to slap Al-Ettifaq's Abdulelah Al-Malki across the back of the head during stoppage time. The referee deemed the action severe enough to warrant a straight red card, igniting outrage from Ronaldo and other players. Ronaldo pleaded with officials as tensions flared, even kicking the ball away angrily.
Adding fuel to the fire, Al-Nassr's manager, Stefano Pioli, was also unhappy with the referee's decision, indicating it exacerbated their loss. “I'm not happy with the red card... Our players have to be calm,” he remarked after the match. Pioli emphasized the importance of addressing the team's individual mistakes which, he argued, were the true culprits behind their defeat.
Former Al-Nassr player Fahd Al-Harifi also offered his critique, accusing Ronaldo of creating chaos on the field. “Whoever creates chaos in victory is Cristiano... There is clear chaos within the team,” he stated. Al-Harifi pointed out Ronaldo's failure to contribute meaningfully during the match, as he missed opportunities and lost possession repeatedly. Despite his impressive goal tally this season, the scrutiny surrounding Ronaldo's performance is growing amid expectations.
Looking beyond this match, Al-Nassr is reportedly considering submitting an official protest against Duran’s red card, which could impact their player availability for their next game against fellow league side Al-Wehda. The protest aims to examine the circumstances of Duran's sending-off more closely, with hopes of reversing the decision so he can play. Without Duran, the team will face another challenge as they strive to tighten their grip on league performance.
With 21 games played this season and 13 still to go, Al-Nassr is running out of time to close the gap to Al-Ittihad. FC, who have the support of players like Karim Benzema and are driven by their momentum, stands as significant competition.
Despite these setbacks, there's still hope for Al-Nassr, who recently crowned champions of the Arab Club Champions Cup, and remain strong contenders for the AFC Champions League. They have upcoming games against Esteghlal FC scheduled for early March, and Ronaldo looks to continue his scoring success, having achieved 82 goals and 19 assists since joining the club.
The looming question remains whether Al-Nassr can persevere through this turbulent period and match their ambitions with solid performances on the pitch moving forward.