Cristiano Ronaldo, one of soccer’s all-time greats, is not without any shortcomings. Ronaldo has failed to mirror his attacking prowess while pressing the opponents to win the ball back. CR7 came under severe scrutiny in Manchester United due to this shortcoming. Former MUFC boss Ralf Ragnick had even criticized him for the same. However, Al Nassr boss Luis Castro thinks Ronaldo can prove those critics wrong.

CR7 and Al Nassr await a serial clash with Karim Benzema and Al Ittihad on Boxing Day. Ronaldo and Benzema will face each other for the first time since their moves to Saudi. To contain the threat posed by Benzema and team, Luis Castro has made one crucial demand of Al Nassr stars.

Cristiano Ronaldo could prove his critics wrong if he fulfills Castro’s demand

It is paramount that tacticians like Luis Castro come up with a solid game plan before facing the defending Saudi League champions Al Ittihad. According to Al Nassr Zone, Castro has demanded his players to focus on building from the back and committing to high pressing in the match against Al Ittihad. High pressing is a popular tactic that involves putting pressure on opponents high up the field and eventually forcing them to commit mistakes. Al Ittihad’s Karim Benzema has shown his prowess in high pressing during his Real Madrid days.

Therefore, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. will indeed have to resort to this strategy to disrupt both Al Ittihad’s defensive unit and their attacking rhythm. Besides, if Al Nassr were to get turnovers off a mistake from Al Ittihad players after a high press, they have phenomenal scorers like Sadio Mane and Ronaldo to make the best of these mistakes. Only time will tell if Ronaldo could arise as a high press specialist. Until then, he is not regarded as a phenomenal presser. Especially for Ralf Ragnick, he is not.

Ronaldo faced flak for not pressing enough with Manchester United

Ralf Ragnick has established himself as a master of the high press. Enter Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford, Ragnick had to slowly let go of his high press philosophy. He openly states Ronaldo is not a ‘pressing monster.’ He revealed that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner never had it in him to pressurize the opponent and win the ball back. Apparently, the German coach had to experiment with new tactics in United to sync with CR7’s playing style.

READ MORE: Conor McGregor’s $227K Possession Puts $300M Richer Cristiano Ronaldo to Shame at Anthony Joshua Fight

Though the Manchester United stint is a story of the past for Ronaldo, the demands to pressure opponents high on the pitch, have come to challenge Ronaldo again. Do you think Ronaldo’s Al Alami will press high and keep Benzema and teammates at bay? Tell us in the comments below.

WATCH THIS STORY: Ten Times Cristiano Ronaldo Scored Four Goals in a Game