Internal Issues Blamed for Cristiano Ronaldo-Led Al Nassr’s Woes, While Luis Castro Receives Clear Verdict

Al Nassr’s season has been a mixed bag of successes and failures so far. Despite Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. doing their best to assert their dominance, the negative limelight somehow ends up following them. While fingers are often pointed at coach Luis Castro for the team’s struggles, SSC channel analyst Ahmed Afifi seems to have a different opinion, saying, “Al-Nassr’s bad luck is caused by what happens behind the scenes, not the coach.” 

The Saudi Arabian commentator has given a respite to the Portuguese tactician, who often becomes the scapegoat for Al Nassr’s shortcomings. Without even blaming a single player or a coaching staff, Afifi instead took a dig at the Knights of the Najd’s board. “The answer comes from within the club, and what happens on the field is a reflection of the team’s internal problem,” concluded Afifi. These words from the analyst suggest that something is going on behind closed doors involving the stakeholders. In fact, past stories might connect the dots to this claim. 

In December 2023, Al Nassr’s sporting director, Goran Vucevic, left the club on Christmas Day, reportedly via a WhatsApp message. Vucevic, who had previously played for FC Barcelona and also served as a scout for the Catalans, allegedly had a falling out with the club’s CEO, Guido Fienga, who wasn’t agreeing to get on the same page. Additionally, a few days ago, it was reported that one of the club’s presidents as well as several board members were contemplating an exit from the Riyadh-based team. 

Furthermore, President Musalli Al Muammar had even sent his resignation request to the Yellow and Blue management. Whatever the case may be, these instances serve as evidence that internal matters have indeed impacted Ronaldo and his teammates’ domestic performance.

Can Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr bounce back from these internal issues? 

Al Nassr’s challenges this season are reminiscent of the last one. In the previous campaign, the club secured a second-place finish, relinquishing the top spot to Al Ittihad. This year, Al Hilal is posing significant challenges for them in the Roshn League. The gap seems unconquerable as Jorge Jesus’ team remains undefeated, holding a commanding 12-point lead in the league standings.

The problems intensified for Al Nassr after their AFC Champions League journey came to an end. Castro’s side was eliminated in the quarter-finals at the hands of Al Ain. Similarly, injuries to players like Anderson Talisca and David Ospina have further exacerbated the situation. Certainly, in order to avoid upsets, they must give their all in the Roshn League, the King’s Cup, and the Saudi Super Cup. 

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Otherwise, it would be a repetition of the previous season’s failures. Until then, let’s hope that internal matters are also resolved for the sake of the team.