Al Nassr’s title hopes have suffered a significant blow after two disappointing defeats in recent weeks, with new signing Jhon Duran being targeted as one of the culprits. In light of this, former Al Nassr player Anderson Talisca took aim at his former club, subtly highlighting the struggles of the team’s star player, Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Saudi Pro League had high expectations for Al Nassr and Ronaldo heading into the 2024-25 season, with hopes of breaking their trophy drought. However, a 3-2 loss to Al Ettifaq in Matchday 21 and a shocking 2-1 defeat against Al Orobah on Matchday 23 have put a serious dent in the team’s title aspirations, falling behind rivals Al Hilal and Al Ittihad.
Following Friday’s defeat, new signing Jhon Duran was one of the players singled out for criticism. Despite scoring 4 goals in his first 4 SPL appearances, a social media post questioned his recent performance, suggesting he could be a flop. This caught Talisca’s attention, and he didn’t hesitate to respond with a strong message to Al Nassr:
“He (Duran) is a great player and will do a lot for this club. The problem is that you always want to find someone to blame for the defeats, but you don’t see where the real mistake lies. Stop acting like this all the time. You know where the mistake is, you’re just afraid to say it, lol,” Talisca wrote on X, in response to an Al Nassr fan account.
Talisca went on to add, “And on top of that, you want to do to Duran what they did to me, to benefit others.” Now playing for Fenerbahce, Talisca voiced his support for Duran, who he believes is being unfairly scapegoated for Al Nassr’s poor performances. This situation mirrors Talisca’s own experience at the club, where he was also made a target for the team’s struggles.
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Talisca’s comments have led some fans to speculate that Ronaldo could be the “real mistake” Talisca was referring to. Following his controversial departure from Al Nassr—reportedly due to unpaid wages—Talisca has once again stirred the pot, this time calling out the media’s protective stance toward his former teammate.
Al Nassr’s trophy hopes for 2024-25
Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, and Al Hilal are the three main powerhouses in the Saudi Pro League, competing for dominance in both domestic and international competitions. However, compared to their rivals, Ronaldo’s side appears to be falling behind in the race for silverware.
Currently, Al Nassr sits in third place with 47 points from 23 games, having dropped points against lower-ranked teams—an important factor in the title chase. Al Hilal is just 4 points ahead in second place, while Al Ittihad leads the standings with 56 points from 22 games, having lost only 2 matches so far.
Another potential trophy opportunity for Al Nassr is the AFC Champions League Elite, where they will face Esteghlal FC in the Round of 16. However, it is worth noting that during the group stage, Ronaldo’s team finished in third place, 5 points behind SPL clubs Al Ahli and Al Hilal, further highlighting their struggles to establish themselves as a dominant force.
