The legendary Portuguese helped his side piece together a quite remarkable run of results, but they're still well adrift of the runaway leaders
Cristiano Ronaldo just could not let it lie. It had been an especially bad-tempered game, with the Al-Nassr star clashing with a play-acting opponent, seeing two goals disallowed for marginal offside calls and also being clattered by Al-Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou without a penalty being given.
And with Ronaldo quietly simmering after all this misfortune compounded a disappointing 3-0 defeat for his side, he was drawn into a fiery argument with Al-Hilal chairman Fahad Bin Nafel en route down the tunnel.
Eventually, he did trudge back to the dressing room. Once there, he would have reflected on the result and his side's season so far, likely concluding that his dream of lifting a first Saudi Pro League title may already be out of reach – less than halfway into the 2023-24 season.
GettyResponding to early setbacks
The incredible run Al-Nassr had been on prior to that comprehensive, albeit controversial, Al-Hilal defeat will have only led to the result hurting more. After lifting the Arab Club Champions Cup in the summer, they started their Pro League campaign horrendously, falling to damaging defeats against Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq and plucky underdogs Al-Taawoun in their opening two games.
However, since then, Luis Castro's side have been near perfect, both in the league and in various cup competitions. After that early-season blip, they pieced together a 10-game winning run, a period that included two AFC Champions League group-stage triumphs and a dramatic 4-3 victory against fellow state-owned side Al-Ahli.
The wind was taken out of their sails somewhat when they were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by lowly Abha at the beginning of October, but once again Al-Nassr responded superbly, winning their next eight matches in all competitions.
AdvertisementGettyRonaldo has been absolutely key
Right at the heart of this recovery has been Ronaldo. Before the season properly got going, he had already helped his team claim the Arab Club Champions Cup, netting twice in the final as Al-Nassr overcame Al-Hilal 2-1 after extra-time.
His exploits in that victory resulted in Ronaldo missing the first game of the Pro League campaign through injury. He also did not look at his best during the Al-Taawoun loss, but this sluggishness was soon shaken off; the 38-year-old kick-started his side's season with a superb hat-trick against Al-Fateh on matchday three.
Ronaldo has used that performance as a platform to silence any critics who believe he's too old to score regularly. Since that treble, he's failed to net in just three of the following 12 Pro League games, also grabbing a vital brace in a Champions League victory over Al-Duhail.
It's not just the goals that have been important either. As Al-Nassr coach Luis Castro revealed earlier this season, his leadership role is also vital. "He has a lot of focus on everyday football. He transmits a contagious energy to the game and to his team-mates. The day-to-day training, recovery, is fantastic," Castro said back in August.
"He is a captain for what he does every second of his day. Food, rest, hours of sleep, it's total control of his body. On the field, he is that player. He can go to his own limits."
GettyFalling short
One of the only players who has managed to hold onto the in-form Ronaldo's coat tails in the Pro League scoring charts is Aleksandar Mitrovic. And, fittingly, it was the Al-Hilal talisman who ended up dealing his main rival for the Golden Boot a major blow in the title race last Friday.
Things were delicately poised heading into the contest – Ronaldo and Co hovering menacingly just four points behind the table-toppers. But it just didn't happen for Al-Nassr. They had no issue dominating the ball, racking up 64 percent possession, but were disrupted by Jorge Jesus' physical side who committed no less than 20 fouls during the game.
Ronaldo, in particular, had a tough time against veteran defensive bruiser Ali Al-Bulayhi, who gave Lionel Messi similar treatment when Saudi Arabia shocked Argentina at the 2022 World Cup. He eventually had enough, angrily confronting the centre-back with some assistance from Sadio Mane just before Albulayhi was shown a very late red card.
His tormentor picking up a suspension will have done little to cushion the blow of the defeat, though. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic put Al-Hilal in front with a perfectly-timed glanced header midway through the second half, before his Serbian compatriot Mitrovic outjumped several opposing players to make it 2-0. The former Fulham man then put the icing on the cake with a well-taken second two minutes into stoppage-time.
It was a serious blow for Al-Nassr. Although 3-0 was probably not a completely fair reflection of the contest, Ronaldo was never truly in the game, while his partner in crime Anderson Talisca had a rare off day in front of goal, taking seven shots with a combined value of 0.74 xG without making the net bulge. Mane, too, was not at his best.
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Getty ImagesNo Neymar, no problem
Al-Nassr's deflation could not contrast more with the sheer elation witnessed in the Al-Hilal dressing room at full-time. The victory put them seven points clear at the Pro League summit, still unbeaten and having scored the most goals while conceding the least.
In the aftermath of their derby-day win, a video emerged on social media of club chairman Nafel promising the squad a bonus for their efforts, a gesture that was greeted with unbridled joy, particularly by the lower earners in the squad like Al-Bulayhi who have been so critical to their runaway success.
While they were always expected to do well after a wild summer that saw the likes of Malcom, Ruben Neves and Kalidou Koulibaly make the move to Riyadh, the sheer ease with which they have been able to pull away from their rivals has been surprising – particularly after they were handed a potentially season-derailing blow back in October.
It's worth remembering that Al-Hilal's almost-flawless Pro League record has been achieved without their marquee signing, Neymar, who suffered a nasty ACL injury while on international duty in the autumn.
Jesus' side have not let this bad fortune knock them off course, though. Experienced Pro League operator and captain Salem Al-Dawsari has simply stepped up to the plate, scoring seven times and providing two assists from the left-forward berth that the Brazilian would have been pencilled in for during transfer negotiations.
Mitrovic has also repaid Al-Hilal for their persistence with a killer touch in front of goal. For a long while, it seemed like the 29-year-old would be staying at Fulham, but the Saudi side refused to admit defeat and they've been rewarded with the striker turning out to be the smartest signing of the league's entire summer transfer window amid some stiff competition.