With a Weaker Bench Than Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr ‘Will Not Win’ the Saudi Pro League, Says Analyst

Al Nassr sit 2nd in the league. A key reason behind their performances is Cristiano Ronaldo, the top-scorer in the league with 12 goals. Summer signings Aymeric Laporte, Marcelo Brozovic, and Sadio Mane have also started life well, bringing more balance to the team while reducing pressure on Ronaldo. Despite their good form, one analyst believes Al Nassr will not win the league, and that they are weaker than Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad in one key area.

Karim Benzema joined Al Ittihad following his 14-year stay at Real Madrid. He was not the only high-profile arrival in the club. Midfielders Fabinho and N’Golo Kante also traded the Premier League for the Saudi Pro League. However, Al Ittihad is on a 5 game run without any wins. This has seen them drop to 6th in the table. Despite their form, a prominent soccer analyst believes their bench has better players than Al Nassr.

Al Nassr will not win the title, claims analyst

Al Nassr sits 4 points behind league leaders Al Hilal, who are without their star player Neymar for the season. One would expect Al Nassr to pose a serious threat to the title. However, soccer expert Abdulaziz Al-Ghayama does not think so. “I am completely adamant that Al-Nasr will not win the league this season, and its bench is weaker than that of Al-Ittihad,” said Al-Ghayama. That is a huge claim from the pundit indeed. However, is there any substance to his claims?

It is interesting to note that Al Nassr has largely relied on a bench with homegrown talent. Players like Mohammed Maran and Ayman Yahya have been used to impact matches from the bench. With each team currently limited to 8 foreign players in the squad, it is difficult to have better options from the bench. Coach Luis Castro is also not shy of rotating the team and the match against Al Shabab saw even Cristiano Ronaldo coming off the bench.

Abdulaziz Al-Ghayama’s opinion regarding Al Ittihad having a better bench is hard to verify. They also have a bench with Saudi Arabian players. The question comes down to which set of homegrown players you prefer. On the other hand, his claim regarding Al Nassr failing to win the title is understandable. However, you can never say never when Cristiano Ronaldo is on your team.

Read More: Cristiano Ronaldo Heroics Forces Al Nassr Boss to Exclude $27 Million Star Ahead of AFC Champions League Clash

Can Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al Nassr dethrone Al Hilal from the top?

Al Nassr came out on top the last time they faced Al Hilal. However, the results don’t tell the full picture. Al Hilal dominated the match with a match possession of 57%. This is something the Knights of Najd will have to work on to improve their league standings.

One thing Al Nassr has in their favor is coach Luis Castro. The former Porto and Shakhtar coach is vastly experienced in possession soccer. By improving their style of play, Al Nassr can control games better and rely less on the bench.

Do you agree with the claims that Al Nassr cannot win the title? Let us know in the comments below.