Ronaldo in Saudi Pro League return – as Talisca scores and Neymar remains out

ms6349285@gmail.com
Ronaldo in Saudi Pro League return – as Talisca scores and Neymar remains out


Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Saudi Pro League action as captain in the potentially crucial Al Nassr vs Al Hilal showdown at the top of the table on Friday – and fellow forward Talisca gave his side a scintillating start by scoring after a minute at Al-Awwal Park.

Talisca collected Otavio’s pass and fired in to open the scoring in the derby game, which already looks like a must-win fixture for the third-placed hosts, who are six points behind reigning champions Al Hilal after eight games for each of the two teams.

Second-placed Al Ittihad, whose stars include Champions League winners Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante, are also six points above Al Nassr, although they have played nine matches.

Al Nassr starting lineup: Ronaldo restored

“You in the stands, us on the pitch,” Ronaldo told his club’s fans on social media on Thursday. “Together as one. See you at the game.”

Al Nassr surprisingly dropped points for the third time this season in the absence of top scorer Ronaldo against newly-promoted Al Kholood last Friday.

They were on course to suffer a first defeat under new manager Stefano Pioli until Talisca’s 95th-minute equaliser secured a 3-3 draw.

Ronaldo is thought to have missed the game because his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, had been treated in hospital for pneumonia, later thanking staff on Instagram as she announced her recovery.

Despite Ronaldo’s return, Italian Pioli duly lost for the first time in his tenure with a 1-0 defeat at home to Al Taawoun, who are 10th in the top flight, in the last 16 of the King Cup on Tuesday.

Why is Neymar out?

Another superstar of the Saudi Pro League, Neymar, did not make his return against Al Nassr because he has not been registered to play.

Saudi clubs are allowed a maximum of 10 non-Saudi players registered in their 25-man league squads, and Neymar’s long-term knee injury precluded him from being named at the start of the season.

Fellow Brazilian Renan Lodi took Neymar’s place, but the striker – who is the world’s most expensive player – is eligible for the AFC Champions League, which Al Hilal next play in on November 4.

Al Hilal had the significant consolation of including former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic in their starting line-up against Al Nassr.

The Serbia international’s 10 goals made him the Saudi Pro League top scorer before kick-off, with two more than next-nearest rival Benzema and four more than third-placed Ronaldo.

Wideman Joao Cancelo, who had loan spells with Bayern Munich and Barcelona from Manchester City last season, started for Al Hilal, while two-time African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane partnered Talisca and Ronaldo in their opponents’ attack.





Source link

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

x
x