"They were better without Ronaldo": Fans react after Aubameyang hurt Al Nassr title chances

• Fans have flooded social media in reaction to Al-Nassr's unexpected defeat to Al Qadsiyiah in the Saudi League
• With the 2-1 defeat, the Knights of Najd now face an uphill battle to keep pace with pacesetters Al Ittihad and Al Hilal
• They currently sit in third position, further away from Al Ittihad and Al Hilal, with 22 points from 11 matches

Al-Nassr’s ambitions of clinching the 2024/25 Saudi Pro League title took a significant hit after a surprising home defeat to Al-Qadsiyah on Friday evening.

Riding the momentum of consecutive wins before the international break, the Riyadh-based side entered the match as overwhelming favourites against the newly promoted visitors.

However, the unfolding events at Al-Awwal Park left the Knights of Najd reeling.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored, but Al-Nassr fell short, suffering their maiden defeat of the 2024/25 Saudi Pro League season. Photo by Yasser Bakhsh.
Source: UGC

Al Qadsiyiah all but ends Al-Nassr's title chances

Cristiano Ronaldo, the club's talisman, gave the home crowd reason to cheer in the 32nd minute.

Latching onto a loose ball, the Portuguese icon broke his scoring drought from open play since the season's opening weekend.

His trademark "Siuu" celebration ignited the stadium, signalling what seemed to be the beginning of another routine victory.

Yet, the anticipated narrative quickly unravelled. Al-Qadsiyah, undaunted by their opponents' pedigree, responded swiftly through Julian Quiñones.

The Mexican forward silenced the crowd just before halftime, dispatching a clinical strike from inside the area.

Five minutes into the second half, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang completed the visitors' comeback, Goal reports.

The former Premier League star showcased his poacher's instinct, nodding home a perfectly floated cross with precision.

Despite Al-Nassr’s relentless efforts to salvage the match, led by Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, and Abdulrahman Ghareeb, the hosts could not overcome a resolute Al-Qadsiyah defence.

A combination of misfiring attacks and disciplined defending ensured the visitors left Riyadh with a famous triumph.

The defeat compounds Al-Nassr’s struggles in their pursuit of a first league title since 2018/19.

Fans react to Al-Nassr's first loss

Fans were quick to share their reactions on social media, with emotions ranging from frustration to resignation.

@Tiki_TakaTalk lamented,

"Hot take: Al-Nassr were better without Ronaldo."

@Dat_Oronboy shifted the blame, stating,

"Ronaldo’s teammates are handicapped."

@SamuelAyod40709 summed it up succinctly:

"It's a huge blow for Al-Nassr."

@aman_saxena_03 sympathised with the Portuguese star, saying,

"Guess Ronaldo can't carry everything on his back. Tough break for Al-Nassr! 🫤⚽"

@Anaaa821 concluded with realism,

"This setback definitely makes their title pursuit more challenging."

Ronaldo's teammate 'ready' to leave Al-Nassr

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that one of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr teammates is reportedly open to a potential switch to Real Madrid.

The player in question has been linked to the Spanish giants, who are exploring transfer options to address ongoing injury challenges within their squad.

Source: YEN.com.gh