In Al Ain, Al-Nassr’s Asian Champions League campaign began with a bruising 4-0 defeat, and the aftermath continued in the press room as Ange Postecoglou forcefully defended Cristiano Ronaldo and his squad.
Postecoglou defends Ronaldo after Al-Ain defeat
SEO title: Postecoglou backs Cristiano Ronaldo after Al-Nassr lose 4-0 to Al-Ain
SEO description: Ange Postecoglou accepted responsibility for Al-Nassr’s 4-0 Asian Champions League loss at Al-Ain, while rejecting criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo and the team’s preparation.
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The Australian coach was challenged over Al-Nassr’s preparations for the season, with a journalist arguing that the side lacked both identity and personality. Postecoglou responded by asking whether the reporter had followed the club’s pre-season work in Portugal.
When told that he had, the coach rejected the assessment. “You say we were not properly prepared, but you were there,” Postecoglou said. “That means you are not being truthful. Be honest.”
He accepted that responsibility for the result belonged to him and said he could have fallen short in his work. But he insisted the discussion should not misrepresent the club’s build-up, noting that not all of his current players had travelled to Portugal for pre-season.
The exchange then turned to Ronaldo, after the Portuguese forward’s role was questioned. Postecoglou cut in to point to the 40-year-old’s return of three goals despite what he described as a restricted pre-season.
“Cristiano has scored three times and had limited preparation,” he said. “This is not about the players. They are working as hard as they can. They are high-level players with real character. The responsibility is mine.”
Postecoglou’s response became sharper when the journalist suggested that Ronaldo’s presence was not helping the team. The coach said criticism should be directed at him rather than at a player whose career, he argued, remained an example to others.
“You should not speak that way about someone who is still a model for everyone,” Postecoglou said. “Be careful when speaking about people who have built a career through the sacrifices needed to keep playing. Criticise me if you want, that is fine, but be careful.”
When the reporter added that Ronaldo had “done nothing” in his last three appearances, Postecoglou again challenged the claim, asking how many matches had produced the forward’s three goals and suggesting the journalist was not watching the matches through the same lens as the coaching staff.
The Asian campaign begins badly
The argument came after Al-Nassr were comprehensively beaten by Al-Ain on Tuesday in their opening match of the Asian Champions League. The 4-0 scoreline leaves Postecoglou facing an early test as the club seeks to recover from a difficult first continental night.
