Cristiano Ronaldo is booked for half-time TANTRUM after drop-kicking the ball away in King Cup clash
Cristiano Ronaldo is booked by TANTRUM at half time after angrily kicking the ball while looking to lead an Al-Nassr counter-attack before the referee exploded in the Saudi King’s Cup clash.
Cristiano Ronaldo was booked at halftime of Al-Nassr’s quarterfinal clash with Abha in the Saudi King’s Cup after angrily throwing the ball onto the pitch at the whistle.
The Portuguese star scooped up the ball before shooting it far down the field as the referee whistled for half time, before he was seen throwing his hands up angrily and yelling at himself in the direction of the referee.
Ronaldo appeared to be frustrated that he was unable to launch a break for his team at the halfway line, despite the two minutes of added time having already been played.
He then stormed off the pitch, putting on his petulant performance despite going completely to half-time at the top of the last eight clash and heading to a semi-final appearance.
Sami Al-Najei had put Al-Nassr in front with just 10 seconds left after a speculative striker caught the Abha defense off guard.
Cristiano Ronaldo was booked at half-time in the Al-Nassr King’s Cup quarterfinal for a furious tantrum
He picked up the ball and threw it onto the field in frustration when the referee blew his whistle.
And Abdullah Al-Khaibari then doubled the lead in the 21st minute after the ball was cut behind Ronaldo, who was waiting in the box, for the midfielder to touch the score without missing a beat.
Ronaldo wasn’t the only player to make it into the book, having shown three yellow cards when his teammate Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem and Abha’s Dries Saddiki were also booked.
The hosts also made a fast start in the second half and after Al-Nassr took a corner kick on the edge of the box, goalkeeper Devis Epassy made a hash of the resulting strike.
They didn’t have to wait long to score a third as Mohammed Maran then slotted in at the far post to push home.
Abha recovered one in the 69th minute after Abdulfattah Adam caught a loose ball following a save from Nawaf Alaqidi.
Unsurprisingly, Ronaldo has taken little time to adjust to life in Saudi Arabia having penned a contract believed to be worth £175m a year.
Ronaldo’s smug performance came despite his team cruising into the semi-finals.
The 38-year-old had eight goals and two assists in eight games before Tuesday’s clash with Abha.
But he may not be the only name familiar to Premier League viewers switching to the Saudi Pro League.
Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha was the subject of a huge £9m-a-year offer from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad, with the Ivorian out of contract at the end of the season.
Al-Nassr had also been interested in signing Bosman, but his rivals, coached by former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo, are looking to beat them.