Cristiano Ronaldo defended Al-Nassr against accusations of favoritism following their 2-0 victory over Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League. He insisted that complaints about referees harm the league's credibility. The win positioned Al-Nassr eight points clear at the top.
Al-Nassr defeated Al-Ahli 2-0 on Tuesday night, with Ronaldo scoring the opener in the 76th minute via a header. Kingsley Coman sealed the victory with a goal in the 90th minute, marking Al-Nassr's 16th consecutive league win. The result left them eight points ahead of Al-Hilal, with one more game played, while Al-Ahli trail by 13 points with five matches remaining. Their title hopes now appear extinguished following their recent AFC Champions League Elite triumph on Saturday. Ronaldo expressed frustration at critics, particularly Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney, who voiced concerns earlier this month about questionable referee decisions favoring Al-Nassr this season. He clashed with former Juventus teammate Merih Demiral during celebrations after Coman's goal. “This is not football,” Ronaldo said. “I think this is not good for the league. Everyone complains... This is football, this is not a war.” He urged players to stop posting complaints on social media about referees and the league, emphasizing the need to set a positive example to compete with Europe's top leagues. Al-Nassr, backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, sit on the brink of clinching the Saudi Pro League title.
