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Where to be, Christian? Ronaldo watches as his new Al-Nassr teammates pull off a comfortable 2-0 win from a VIP box… but the big-money new signing misses the entire second half!
- Cristiano Ronaldo watched as Al-Nassr defeated Al-Ta’ee 2-0 on Friday night
- The veteran Portuguese striker watched the game from a VIP box in the stands
- Ronaldo did not make his debut due to a two-game suspension from his time in England
- He was forced to serve the penalty for breaking the phone of a young fan
- But the former Manchester United star left the match at Mrsool Park at half-time.
Cristiano Ronaldo watched from a VIP box as Al-Nassr won 2-0 in their first game since his signing, but left the stadium at half-time.
The Portuguese veteran, 37, moved to the Saudi Arabian side on a free transfer at the end of December after his Manchester United contract was canceled following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
And Ronaldo, who failed to make his debut on Friday when Al-Nassr beat Al-Ta’ee, watched for 45 minutes as his new teammates secured all three points at King Saud University Stadium to move up four points in the table. top of the Saudi Pro League table.
Cristiano Ronaldo (left) watched from a VIP box as his new team, Al-Nassr, beat Al-Ta’ee 2-0
The 37-year-old Portuguese striker, who joined the Saudi Arabian side on a big-money deal in December, watched as his teammates took all three points but surprisingly they went at half time.
Video from Al-Nassr’s Twitter account showed Talisca scoring his second at Mrsool Park
Social media video from Al-Nassr’s English-speaking Twitter account showed the second goal they scored, with former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina playing a long shot towards Brazilian striker Talisca, who finished with aplomb to seal the victory. victory.
Ronaldo was unable to make his long-awaited Riyadh debut because he was forced to serve a two-game FA ban for vandalizing a young Everton fan’s phone while at United.
So instead, the striker watched from a luxury box with his friend Ricky Regufe. He had arrived at Mrsool Park with his tracksuit-clad teammates and waded through ankle-deep puddles as he entered the stadium 90 minutes before kick-off.
What could have been his potential debut on Thursday was postponed due to heavy rain in Riyadh.
Torrential rain caused electrical problems in Al-Nassr camp and forced the postponement
His image, which showed him in the club’s new shirt and with both fists raised, showing off his biceps, occupied a privileged place next to a giant screen and in front of the executive box for all to see.
But after calling Saudi Arabia ‘South Africa’ at his arrival press conference, the Portuguese made a second misstep on Friday night.
As the national anthem of his adopted country played and the teams lined up, the suspended striker chatted with a man in the VIP box. He then sat down as the anthem played and was quickly pushed to his feet.
Heavy rain continued on Friday, but fielders worked with squeegees and pitchforks to try to clear away the water and make the surface playable.
Despite torrential rain, Al-Nassr’s clash with Al Ta’ee at Mrsool Park went ahead on Friday.
He then stood with other dignitaries for the final seconds as the anthem played. The pitch looked like a quagmire in the pouring rain and the superstar forward would not have been happy playing in steamy conditions as sliding tackles flew and the ball repeatedly stuck in the mud.
Despite claims that the 28,000 seat stadium had sold out, Mrsool Park was half empty with strips of empty yellow seats.
A club source said this was possibly due to the news of Ronaldo’s ban, as first reported. sports mailhad caught up with the fans, as well as the torrential rain and freezing temperatures.
Ronaldo was joined in the box by his personal manager Ricardo ‘Ricky’ Regufe (right), who brokered the £175m a year deal that brought the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to Al-Nassr.
Spectators chanted their new hero’s name as his image appeared on stadium screens and he waved back from behind a glass screen.
He was accompanied in the executive box in the stands by his personal manager Ricardo Regufe, who allegedly negotiated his transfer to Al-Nassr.
According to Medium Portuguese PublicRegufe replaced Ronaldo’s former agent, Jorge Mendes, as the former striker’s most trusted confidant.