Al Nassr will take over Al-Ettifaq in the encounter of the Saudi Pro Leagueand all eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldowho was noticeably absent from the team’s last game, a 1-1 draw with Al Shorta in the AFC Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo will play in the starting eleven after missing the match against Al Shorta. His last appearance for Al Nassr was a 1-1 draw against Al Ahli on matchday three of the Saudi Pro League.
Today’s game will be the first time Ronaldo plays under the new head coach Stefano Pioliwho recently replaced Luis Castro. After Castro’s departure, Al Nassr quickly reached an agreement with the former AC Milan coach on his successor.
Pioli’s first starting eleven for Al Nassr will be this: Bentos; Sultan Al Ghanam, Mohamed Simakan, Aymeric Laporte, Salem Al Najdi; Abdullah Al Khaibari, Otavio; Anderson Talisca, Sadio Mané, Angelo and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the first goal during the Saudi Pro League match between Al Nassr and Al Raed. Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images
Luis Castro breaks his silence after his departure
On Tuesday 17, Al Nassr announced the termination of Luis Castro’s contract. Stefano Pioli has already been confirmed as his successor and the Portuguese coach shared his thoughts on the parting of Ronaldo and the team on Instagram.
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“Now that I am ending my tenure as head coach of Al Nassr, I would like to thank everyone who supported me and worked alongside me every day. I wish them the best of luck and success.” Castro wrote.
Castro leaves Al Nassr after 54 games with an impressive record of 36 wins, 9 draws and 9 losses. He also led the team to victory in the Arab Club Champions Cup by beating Al Hilal 2-1 in August 2023, adding another trophy to Ronaldo’s collection.
Al Nassr’s upcoming games
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With Pioli at the helm, Al Nassr will play the following games:
- 23 September – against Al Hazem (Saudi King’s Cup)
- 27 September – against Al Wehda (Saudi Pro League)
- 30 September – against Al Rayyan (AFC Champions League Elite)
- 5 October – against Al Orobah (Saudi Pro League)
- 18 October – against Al Shabab (Saudi Pro League)
Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist fluent in English and Spanish, specializing in soccer, the NBA and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 at Mundo Deportivo US, where he took his first steps as a writer. Gianni has covered major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals and Grand Slam tournaments such as Roland Garros. His ability to report on real-time events and write under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-notch team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS and the NBA. Gianni graduated in Communication from Deportea in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
