Al-Nassr’s head coach, Stefano Pioli, expressed his understanding towards his squad after their 2-2 stalemate with Al Shabab. For Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates, it marked yet another occasion of points slipping away, compounded by another red card, effectively dimming their aspirations of clinching the Saudi Pro League title.
Even though they managed to rally from behind with Ronaldo contributing to the scoreboard, they couldn’t maintain their lead at home in Riyadh, and now trail leaders Al-Ittihad by a significant 10 points. Pioli attributes this outcome to the team’s fatigue and a lack of sharpness stemming from a congested fixture schedule.
After the match, Pioli shared his thoughts: “I’m disappointed with the match outcome and assure our fans that we’ll deliver a stronger performance in upcoming games. The players put in a tremendous effort on the pitch, and it’s frustrating not to come away with a better result.”
He went on to highlight the mounting pressure his team has been under lately, stressing the need to prepare the players mentally. Pioli pointed out, “In recent matches, we’ve found ourselves trailing, pushing us to constantly chase goals for an equalizer or win. Our players are dedicated, but we’ve missed several opportunities, something we’re actively working to rectify. We looked to the bench for solutions, and the substitutions did meet our expectations.”
Aware of the difficult circumstances faced by the team due to the relentless match schedule and resultant fatigue, Pioli emphasized their focus on the forthcoming crucial AFC Champions League match.
With 20 minutes left on the clock, Pioli made the strategic call to substitute Ronaldo, despite the team’s ongoing pursuit of a goal. Jhon Duran was brought on, and Pioli stood by this decision, explaining, “Given the physical demands, Duran was in a fitter position to potentially find the back of the net.”
