Cristiano Ronaldo sends six-word message after shock miss prolongs Saudi trophy drought

Cristiano Ronaldo suffered fresh heartbreak as his Saudi employers Al-Nassr slipped to an Asian Champions League defeat at the hands of Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale

Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed his pride despite his error costing Al-Nassr dearly. The Saudi side were gunning to win the Asian Champions League for the first time this week.

They had drawn Japanese outfit Kawasaki Frontale in the semi-finals. But Ronaldo and co saw their run in the competition ended in brutal fashion having lost 3-2.

Al-Nassr found themselves 3-1 down heading into the final moments only to pull a goal back with three minutes remaining. Former Manchester United star Ronaldo then had a golden opportunity to equalise in the closing moments as he rounded the goalkeeper but stumbled before he could find the net.

The veteran was visibly disappointed come the final whistle, spending time on his own in the centre circle with a disdainful look on his face. And he has now taken to social media to share his thoughts on the clash.

Ronaldo wrote: “Sometimes the dream has to wait. I’m proud of this team and everything we gave on the pitch. Thank you to all the fans who believed in us and stood by us every step of the way. Your support means the world.”

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Elsewhere, Al-Nassr boss Stefano Pioli shared his thoughts on his side’s exit and publicly slammed his players. The Italian boss said: “We played with a difficult strategy and took risks in the second half; we had no options other than to take risks, and we don’t need to look back; we are now thinking about the league.”

“We have been thinking about improving results since taking over the club, but the pressure of matches has affected us. We hope to continue in the league to achieve the best position, and when the season ends, we will review ourselves and prepare for the next season.”

“I understand the feelings, sadness, and criticism. We are ready for these situations; we work in football, and losses are inevitable, but we did not falter. I take full responsibility today.”

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He added: “I was not surprised by the opponent; rather, our performance was the surprise. We lost many duels and battles on the field, and what is truly surprising is our poor level today. The problem is not with the coach or the players; today we were bad.”

“I understand everything and the tactical criticism, but we played against a team whose style we knew, yet we were poor in duels and slow. It is hard for everyone to feel the defeat, and this loss is difficult for us and the players.”

Pioli and Ronaldo will be desperately searching for answers as they attempt to get Al-Nassr back on track. They sit third in the Saudi Pro League eight points adrift of leaders Al-Ittihad with five games of the season remaining.

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