Al Nassr’s first Asian Champions League night under Ange Postecoglou ended in a 4-0 defeat at Al Ain, and the Australian coach used his post-match appearance to shield Cristiano Ronaldo from questions over the forward’s current value to the Saudi club.
Postecoglou defends Ronaldo after Al Ain defeat
In Al Ain, where Al Nassr created little threat and conceded four times, Ronaldo became a central subject of the discussion after the final whistle. The Portuguese forward was unable to alter the course of a difficult opening match in the continental competition, despite having scored three goals so far this season.
A Saudi journalist suggested that Ronaldo had offered little in his previous three appearances and asked whether his presence still benefited the side. Postecoglou, visibly irritated, rejected that assessment and took responsibility for the result himself.
“Cristiano already has three goals and has had only a limited pre-season,” the coach said. “This is not about the players. They are giving everything and they have strong character. The responsibility belongs to me.”
When the questioner stressed that he was discussing Ronaldo’s present form rather than his career achievements, and claimed the 41-year-old had done nothing in his last three matches, Postecoglou answered sharply: “Done nothing? You must have watched a different game from the one I saw.”
A captain of attention in a difficult start
Postecoglou had already urged caution over criticism of the veteran striker, saying that Ronaldo remained an example for those around him. “You should not speak that way about someone who continues to set an example for everybody,” he said, before inviting scrutiny of his own work instead: “Criticise me if you want. I have no issue with that.”
Ronaldo’s contribution is increasingly judged through goals as age changes the physical dimensions of his game. At 41, the former Portugal captain remains Al Nassr’s most prominent figure, but scoreless outings bring louder questions than before.
For Postecoglou, however, the emphatic loss at Al Ain was not a night to isolate one forward. His message from the press room was that a collective defeat required managerial accountability, with Al Nassr now needing a response after a bruising start to their Asian campaign.
SEO Title: Postecoglou backs Ronaldo after Al Nassr lose 4-0 to Al Ain
SEO Description: Ange Postecoglou defended Cristiano Ronaldo after Al Nassr’s 4-0 defeat to Al Ain in their Asian Champions League opener, insisting the responsibility was his.
