Cristiano Ronaldo has a fracturious relationship with the top coach (Picture by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Photos)
Stefano Pioli’s time as Al-Nassr head coach could also be working out, with stories suggesting his rocky relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo could possibly be the ultimate nail within the coffin.
Al-Nassr’s season has been something however clean. Whereas they cruised into the AFC Champions League quarter-finals with a dominant 3-0 win over Esteghlal, their home marketing campaign has been far much less spectacular. Sitting third within the Saudi Professional League, they’re trailing effectively behind title contenders Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal.
Since Ronaldo’s high-profile arrival in early 2023, success has been elusive. Regardless of boasting one of many best footballers of all time, Al-Nassr have solely managed two runner-up finishes and are as soon as once more struggling to mount a severe title problem.
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Final season, Al-Hilal ran away with the league in an unbeaten marketing campaign, however their dip this 12 months hasn’t benefitted Al-Nassr as a lot as anticipated – Al-Ittihad have capitalised as an alternative, sitting ten factors away from Pioli’s aspect.
Tensions mounting behind the scenes with Cristiano Ronaldo and coach
In line with Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Pioli’s place is changing into more and more precarious. Reviews recommend he’s dropping the dressing room, with frustration constructing among the many squad – Ronaldo included.
The strain was on full show in a latest conflict with Al-Kholood, the place Ronaldo was visibly livid after being substituted.
With underwhelming outcomes piling up, the query stays if Pioli will final the season. Some stories point out Roma are already monitoring his state of affairs. If he’s dismissed by Al-Nassr, he could possibly be a number one contender to interchange Claudio Ranieri within the Italian capital this summer season.
For now, Pioli stays in cost, however with Ronaldo’s affect and the rising unrest within the squad, his days in Riyadh could possibly be numbered.
