Cristiano Ronaldo had a nightmarish start to pre-season as Al-Nassr suffered a crashing 5-0 defeat against Celta Vigo on Monday, July 17.
The Saudi Pro League giants were handed a reality check in their third preparatory game ahead of the 2023-24 season as things took a tumultuous turn.
Despite a decent first-half performance that held Celta to a goalless draw, things unravelled in the second half, worsened by a red card, resulting in a demoralizing 5-0 defeat.
Gael Alonso opened the floodgates for the Spanish side three minutes before the hour mark, followed by Miguel Rodriguez’s brace in the 62nd and 71st minutes.
As the new head coach of the Riyadh-based club, Luis Castro faces a challenging task ahead, with subsequent pre-season matches against European powerhouses Benfica, PSG, and 2022 Champions League finalists Inter Milan.
Castro must now strategize and regroup for the demanding tests that lie ahead.
On a positive note, Castro would be pleased that captain Ronaldo got 45 minutes of playing time in his first pre-season match, and new signing Marcelo Brozovic also managed 54 minutes on the pitch.
Despite the setback, there are promising signs for the Portuguese manager as he readies his squad for the upcoming season.
sportbrief.com
