Last night, Al Nassr secured a remarkable 2-0 victory against Persepolis. Aside from playing behind closed doors, both sides were also forced to play on unsuitable ground. As Cristiano Ronaldo risked injury on the unfit ground, one of Persepolis’ own stars took a bold stance against his own club, publicly criticizing them for allowing the visitors to play on a ‘shameful’ ground with holes.
Despite being fatigued, the Portuguese superstar went the extra mile for his side and played the crucial fixture. Additionally, Al Nassr also managed to extend their winning streak.
Persepolis star slams his own club for letting Al Nassr play on ‘shameful’ ground
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Earlier, a video emerged revealing the subpar state of the Azadi Stadium’s pitch, the venue for the Al Nassr vs. Persepolis clash. Although the company tasked to fix the soccer field acknowledged they did their part, the condition of the stadium’s turf was still inadequate for the match. As a result, both teams were compelled to compete on a field flooded with holes.
Notably, Persepolis star Ali Shah didn’t take this well, and he openly criticized his own team for their recklessness. After the match, he remarked, “It was shameful for us to face a big team like Al Nassr with its stars on this field. The Nasraans were asking us: Is this a farm or a stadium?”
🚨🚨🚨🚨🗣️- لاعب پرسپوليس عاليشاه :
كان من المعيب أن نواجه فريق كبير مثل #النصر مع نجومه في هذه الارضية ، النصراويين كانوا يسألوننا هل هذه مزرعة أو أرضية ملعب؟ pic.twitter.com/29oj9nlNVV
— نواف التميمي 📊. (@Nawaf_STATS) September 19, 2023
Perhaps Shah wasn’t happy with his club because it made them play in such poor on-field conditions. He also felt ashamed to host the visitors on an unsuitable pitch. Indeed, it is a bold stance from the soccer star. Ultimately, the adverse pitch conditions couldn’t stop Al Nassr from winning the match. It also didn’t stop Cristiano Ronaldo from missing the match and he risked getting an injury. However, that almost happened!
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Cristiano Ronaldo risked his injury to play for Al Nassr
Earlier, Ronaldo was touted to miss the fixture as he was already fatigued ahead of the game. Furthermore, the substandard pitch conditions could have heightened the likelihood of potential injuries. Yet the skipper turned up for the game and managed to play the whole 90 minutes after getting substituted in the injury time.
Additionally, Ronaldo could have injured himself during the match after he nearly suffered a leg-breaking tackle from an opposition player. Fortunately, he’s leaving Iran without any negative news. From the looks of it, he will do everything to get ample rest ahead of his upcoming match against Al Ahli on September 22.
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