Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr Teammates Engaged In a Physical Altercation After AFC Champions League Loss

Al Nassr is making headlines for more than just its exit from the AFC Champions League RO16. While Cristiano Ronaldo and Co.’s journey came to an end after Al Ain FC knocked them out on penalties, it’s the chaotic aftermath that’s grabbing attention. Fans were taken aback by the post-match brawl after tempers flared and an altercation broke out between the two teams. Amidst the uproar, Al Ain’s star player has also stepped forward to shed light on the dramatic events that took place on the pitch.

A viral video depicting the entire incident has surfaced on the internet. While the exact reason remains unknown, the brawl likely erupted following an alleged dispute between Al Nassr’s Otavio and a coaching member of Al Ain. Players, staff members from both clubs, and even league officials intervened to cool the situation. Controlling Otavio proved challenging, to the extent that one administrator even fell during the altercation.

While Otavio’s teammates attempted to restrain him, the Portuguese star remained resolute in confronting the Al Ain staff member. Despite calls for the Al Ain member to retreat to the tunnel, another Al Nassr staff member forcefully pushed him. The entire incident unfolded for more than a minute.

Later, Soufiane Rahimi, the star player of the UAE side, was asked to comment on the incident. Interestingly, he responded, “Fighting after the match? It’s a normal thing that happens in football.” Instead of delving into the root cause of the fight, Rahimi, who scored a brace in the match, seemed unperturbed by the incident.

So far, only Rahimi has responded to the incident, as other players and both managers have yet to address the situation. Perhaps Luis Castro and his team are more focused on processing the shocking result, with Ronaldo also failing to impress.

No ‘Remontada’ as Cristiano Ronaldo expected for Al Nassr 

Before the match, Cristiano Ronaldo glimmered with confidence as he asserted that his side would successfully bounce back in the return leg from the 0-1 defeat in the opening leg. Although the comeback was made as his teammates fought back to tie the game on aggregate with a 4-3 win, their aspirations were dashed in the penalty shootout, where Al Ain triumphed with a 3-1 score. 

READ MORE: 5 Times Cristiano Ronaldo Ended on the Losing Side in Penalty Shootouts Before Al Nassr’s Heartbreaking Loss to Al Ain

Ronaldo even became a subject of criticism after missing an empty goal chance from 2 yards. Scoring it would have changed the course of the game, but luck didn’t seem to be on Al Nassr’s side. Unfortunately, the aftermath proved even more hapless for them, as three players were sidelined due to injury. Be that as it may, it wasn’t the night Ronaldo and his team were planning to have. For now, they should reflect on what went wrong.