Al-Nassr registered a record-breaking 9-0 win over Al Akhdoud in the ongoing Saudi Pro League (SPL) as their quest for qualifying for a place in next year’s AFC Champions League Elite continues. Sadio Mane smashed his first-ever SPL hat-trick and ended up with four goals, along with two from Jhon Duran and one each from Ayman Yahya, Marcelo Brozovic, and Mohammed Maran.
With this win, Al-Nassr are in third spot with 63 points in 31 games. Al-Ittihad remain at the top with 74 points in 31 games, while Al-Hilal are in second spot with 68 points in 31 games. However, Al-Nassr came up with this historic win without their Portuguese superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Why Cristiano Ronaldo Did Not Play vs Al Akhdoud?
According to media reports, Al-Nassr head coach Stefano Pioli possibly gave Ronaldo some rest to Ronaldo because of physical exhaustion. Ronaldo had played the entirety of the last two games against Al-Ittihad and the Japanese side Kawasaki, respectively. Hence, this decision might have been taken by the coach.
Later, Pioli also confirmed that, saying: “Ronaldo felt muscle fatigue, so we preferred to rest him and keep him for the upcoming matches.”
The 40-year-old has smashed 33 goals along with four assists so far across all competitions. Hence, without him, the way Al-Nassr registered this victory, led by Mane, left fans crazy. Now, their next match is against Al-Taawoun in the SPL on 16 May. Al-Taawoun are currently in eighth spot with 41 points in 31 games.
For the Latest Sports News: Follow RevSportz