Ex-Al Nassr Administrator Criticizes Cristiano Ronaldo’s Side of Fielding ‘Expired’ Players Following Disappointing Loss to Al Hilal

Things looked good for Al Nassr in the previous weeks. The team was on a winning streak. Cristiano Ronaldo was on a scoring spree. However, the good times changed for the worse when they met their bitter domestic rival- Al Hilal in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final on Monday. Al Hilal easily outclassed Ronaldo and Co. for the third straight time this season. Perhaps out of frustration at playing a losing game, the Al Nassr captain elbowed rival defender Ali Albulayhi and received a red card, risking a two-game ban. Aggravating the team’s woes, their former administrator called out the club for depending on aging players.

As per the X handle Nfc Diario that posts on Al Nassr, the club’s former administrator Salem Al-Othman thinks Cristiano Ronaldo’s side has an aging roster. “Al-Nasr has players who have expired,” said Salem Al-Othman. Al Nassr has seven players above 30. David Ospina (35), Waleed Abdullah (37), and Cristiano Ronaldo(39) form the team’s oldest batch of players. Notably, Ronaldo also captains the side.

While Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the oldest active players in the game, his goal-scoring prowess has not withered. Last year, Europe’s biggest young superstars played second fiddle to Ronaldo in the race for the Golden Boot. Now, he is the Saudi League’s top goal scorer with 29 goals in 25 matches. However, it has been Ronaldo’s no-show whenever Al Nassr faced Al Hilal this season. The 5x Ballon d’Or winner misfired in all three losing games against the Riyadh-based outfit. Al-Othman’s comment on Al Nassr housing players past their prime holds weightage, as the club is planning to go bullish on veterans again in the next transfer window.

Al Nassr might pair more expired players with Cristiano Ronaldo in the future

Rumors heavily link veterans such as Luka Modric, Kevin De Bruyne, and Casemiro to Al Nassr. Though Modric comes off the bench to bring a rhythm to Real Madrid’s midfield moves, he is clearly past his prime. De Bruyne is a lethal weapon when he is on the field. However, injuries have constantly marred the Belgian’s ongoing season with Manchester City. Casemiro’s Manchester United stint is quite unremarkable when compared to his stellar Real Madrid years. So it is quite dubious as to how these transfer targets would help Al Nassr bag trophies.

READ MORE: Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo Gets Drowned in ‘Messi’ Chants While Elbowing Rival and Raging at Referee in Al Hilal vs Al Nassr

Anyhow, Cristiano Ronaldo’s side is not the only Saudi League club majorly housing aged players. Though Saudi clubs are known for their deep pockets, they have failed to lure heavyweight youngsters in Europe. Rather, they managed to attract former UEFA Champions League winners like Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson, and Roberto Firmino who are in the twilight of their careers. The Saudi League has to travel miles to be a promising haven like the Premier League and La Liga for youngsters to come and chase glory.

READ MORE: Banned Cristiano Ronaldo to Expose Saudi Football After Red Card Controversy in Al Nassr Game, Per Reports