Al-Nassr found itself frustrated once again as it was held to a 2-2 draw against Al-Shabab in a hard-fought contest at home. Cristiano Ronaldo was once again on the scoresheet, delivering a moment of brilliance, but his contribution was not enough to secure all three points. The match took a surprising turn when the Portuguese was substituted in the second half, raising concerns among fans about a possible injury. Now, head coach Stefano Pioli has revealed the reason behind the decision.
Coming into this fixture, Pioli was expecting a strong reaction from his team after two disappointing results. The home side started brightly, with Ronaldo and Sadio Mane forming a threatening partnership up front, while Marcelo Brozovic and Ali Alhassan controlled possession in midfield. Despite their dominance, Al-Nassr failed to capitalize on their early control and soon found themselves trailing. A defensive lapse saw Al-Shabab take the lead from the penalty spot just before halftime.
Luckily, the home side responded quickly after the break. Ayman Yahya fired in a stunning equalizer following a Ronaldo free-kick that was only partially cleared by the Al-Shabab defense. Minutes later, the hosts took the lead when Mane set up Ronaldo, who drilled a powerful finish past Georgiy Bushchan from a tight angle.
With the Knights of Najd leading 2-1 at halftime, they seemed poised to claim an important victory. However, their momentum took a massive hit shortly after the restart.
Costly red card led to Al-Shabab’s equalizer
Just six minutes into the second half, Al-Nassr were reduced to 10 men. Defender Mohammed Al-Fatil was sent off after bringing down Podence, who was through on goal after latching onto a misplaced pass from Brozovic. With the numerical advantage, the visitors turned up the pressure, launching wave after wave of attacks.
Their persistence eventually paid off when Mohammed Al Shwirekh scored the equalizer, heading home from a well-taken corner. With the score locked at 2-2 and Al-Nassr down to 10 men, Pioli made a decision that stunned the crowd.
Why did Ronaldo leave the pitch? Pioli explains
Minutes after Al-Shabab’s equalizer, Pioli made the unexpected call to substitute Ronaldo in the 71st minute, replacing him with Jhon Duran. The move left fans puzzled, as the Portuguese veteran was still one of the most dangerous players on the pitch.
After the match, the Italian manager clarified the decision, explaining that the 40-year-old superstar was struggling with fatigue and some discomfort. “Cristiano asked to come off. He was feeling a bit of discomfort, and we didn’t want to take any risks,” the coach revealed.
