Al-Nassr's Heavy Defeat: Postecoglou Defends Ronaldo Amid Criticism
Al-Nassr’s 4-0 collapse against Al Ain on Tuesday did more than dent their AFC Champions League Elite campaign. It shook the room around Cristiano Ronaldo and lit a fuse under their manager.
The Saudi Pro League champions were dismantled by the UAE side, slumping to their heaviest defeat since Ronaldo arrived in Riyadh. As the goals piled up, so did the questions: about the team’s readiness, about their dependence on their 39-year-old star, about whether the project is as strong as the marketing.
Those questions followed Al-Nassr straight into the press room.
Postecoglou bristles at Ronaldo criticism
Ange Postecoglou, already facing a barrage after the 4-0 beating, snapped when one reporter suggested the side had not prepared properly and claimed Ronaldo had offered nothing on the night.
He cut the line of questioning off sharply and pulled the responsibility towards himself.
“You say we didn't prepare well, but you were there,” Postecoglou said, as quoted by ESPN. “So you're not saying the truth. Be honest. It's my responsibility. Maybe I haven't done my job well. That's fine. But please don't talk about preparation.”
The Australian refused to let Ronaldo become the lightning rod for a collective failure. The result, he insisted, was on him, not on a forward still finding rhythm after a limited pre-season.
“You shouldn’t say that”
What really stung Postecoglou were the claims that the Portugal legend had contributed “nothing” in the heavy defeat. He fired back with cold numbers and a pointed defence of Ronaldo’s professionalism.
“Cristiano has scored three goals already,” he said. “He had a limited preparation. This is not about the players. The players are giving everything. They're top players, and they've got great character. The responsibility is mine, okay? But you shouldn't say that about somebody who is still setting an example for everyone.
“And you should be careful when you say things like that about people who have built a career on making all the sacrifices to keep playing. Like I said, you can criticise me, no problem. That's okay. Did he not score in three games? Did he not have chances today?”
The numbers back him up: Ronaldo has already found the net three times this season despite arriving undercooked. That, for his manager, is evidence of effort, not decline.
The scoreline in Al Ain will linger. So will the images of a frustrated Ronaldo and a shell-shocked Al-Nassr back line. But if there is a crack forming around the club’s biggest name, Postecoglou is not ready to let anyone wedge it open.
The next game will show whether his words were just a shield in the heat of the moment, or the start of a response from a dressing room that has just been publicly told: the blame is mine, now prove me right.
