Cristiano Ronaldo Suffers Heavy Defeat as Al Nassr Falls 4-0 to Al Ain
Cristiano Ronaldo endured his heaviest defeat in Al Nassr colors as the Saudi champions were dismantled 4-0 by Al Ain in their Asian Champions League Elite opener on Tuesday.
In the heat of the United Arab Emirates night, Al Nassr never found a foothold. Al Ain, a two-time winner of Asia’s top club prize, struck first after 25 minutes through Houssine Rahimi, and from that moment the Saudi side were chasing shadows.
The gap only widened.
Houssine Rahimi, sharp and relentless, doubled the lead just after the hour mark, punishing a passive Al Nassr back line that never adjusted to Al Ain’s tempo or movement. The damage kept coming. With 18 minutes left, his brother Soufiane Rahimi made it 3-0, capping a sweeping move that underlined the gulf in intensity between the teams.
Al Nassr were reeling. Al Ain smelled blood.
Soufiane Rahimi then turned provider, sliding a pass through for Georgios Giakoumakis to add a ruthless fourth and complete a statement win for the hosts.
Ronaldo, 41 and still chasing landmark moments, went into the night hunting career goal No. 980. His big chance arrived late, a trademark free kick in range, but Khalid Eisa read it and pushed the effort away, denying even a consolation. On a night when Al Nassr needed their star to spark a response, he never had the platform.
The 4-0 scoreline matched the heaviest defeat Ronaldo has suffered since Manchester United’s humbling at Brentford in August 2022. The stage was different, the continent was different, but the feeling of helplessness was familiar.
Al Nassr coach Ange Postecoglou did not look for excuses.
“The players gave everything they had, and I do not place any responsibility on them ... and the responsibility is my responsibility,” he said. “Al Nassr as a whole was poor.”
The numbers back him up. The Saudi Pro League champions now have just one win in their last four matches, momentum leaking away at the very moment their Asian campaign was supposed to ignite.
Saudi clubs, heavily backed and heavily scrutinized, had a mixed start to this new-look continental campaign.
Al Hilal
Al Hilal, four-time champions and standard-bearers for the Saudi project, did their part with a 2-1 victory over Qatar’s Al Gharafa. In a fiery contest that saw both sides reduced to 10 men, Rúben Neves kept his nerve from the penalty spot late in the first half, before Sergej Milinkovic-Savic killed off the game in the second.
Elsewhere
Elsewhere, the shine dulled.
Al Ahli were held 1-1 by Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan, unable to turn possession into a decisive second goal. Al Ittihad met the same fate, drawing 1-1 with Qatar’s Al Shamal and letting two points slip away in a group where margins will be tight.
Al Qadsiah, though, offered a brighter note for Saudi fans, starting with a 2-1 win over UAE side Al Wasl and showing the kind of resilience and edge Al Nassr so badly lacked.
For Ronaldo and Al Nassr, the picture is stark. Asia’s biggest prize has always eluded the club. On this evidence, they have a long road to travel if this is finally to be their year.
