Al Nassr Hit With Major Setback Despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s Hattrick Heroics Against Al Tai

Following the disappointing AFC Champions League exit, many predicted Al Nassr’s season to come down crashing. However, the display against Al Tai proved that this was not the case. It was a stellar performance from Luis Castro & Co as they romped to a 5-1 victory at Al Awwal Park, thanks to a hattrick from captain Cristiano Ronaldo. Although a performance like that requires celebrations, a key moment in the game has left fans concerned!

Al Nassr midfielder Marcelo Brozovic received a yellow card in the game. This doesn’t seem like a big deal, but the issue is that Brozovic has been carded multiple times previously. As a result, he has accumulated several bookings, and per the rules of the Saudi Pro League, will miss the game against Abha on the 3rd of April. The cool demeanor and technical ability of the Croatian would have been a handful in that game. However, it seems like Cristiano Ronaldo & Co will have to resort to a midfield combination without the star!

Speaking of Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese superstar was sensational against Al Tai as recorded his 64th career hat trick. This takes his season’s tally to 33, not bad for a 39-year-old. Otavio and Abdulrahman Ghareeb also put in impressive displays and got on the scoreboard as well.

Despite missing 3 stars, Al Nassr dominated 70% of the possession and had a staggering 21 shots! With this result, they are still 12 points behind Al Hilal. Hence, Cristiano Ronaldo & Co’s chances of winning the league still look slim. But concerningly, there’s still another obstacle to spoil Al Nassr’s chances of silverware.

Saudi Arabian temperature can be a detriment to Cristiano Ronaldo & Co’s silverware hopes

Reminiscing his experiences in Saudi Arabia, former Al Nassr boss Rui Vitoria stated, “There is always a problem, which is the temperature. When we were playing in Jeddah, there were players hallucinating and losing consciousness between halftime.” Unlike other countries, summer in the Middle East is a different gravy as this is the time when temperatures soar up to 45°C. Hence, teams will need to display their grit and determination to win matches.

Read More: Reigniting Cristiano Ronaldo’s Europe Return Hopes, Saudi Clubs Intensify Push for Champions League Inclusion- Reports

Also, Cristiano Ronaldo himself mentioned the intense heat in an interview. The soccer icon said, “The biggest difference I have found in Saudi is obviously the heat and adapting schedules to train later in the day when it is cooler. But I have really gotten used to that now.” As countermeasures to the high temperatures, players are said to be resorting to ice baths and heat-resistant jackets. Let’s hope that does the job for the Al Nassr squad as the team doesn’t need any more trouble in their quest for silverware this season.

Read More: How Many Hat-tricks Has Cristiano Ronaldo Scored In His Career After Netting 3 Goals For Al Nassr Vs Al Tai?