Al-Nassr suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Al-Ain, with Sadio Mane confronting fans who chanted Lionel Messi’s name at Cristiano Ronaldo. Meanwhile, coach Ange Postecoglou accepted responsibility for the team’s disappointing performance.
Al-Nassr midfielder and Senegalese star Sadio Mane made headlines following his confrontation with Al-Ain fans ahead of the AFC Champions League group stage clash at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al-Ain on Tuesday, September 15.
Al Nassr suffered a 4–0 defeat to Al-Ain, despite the presence of their captain and football legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who struggled to find his rhythm throughout the night. Houssine Rahimi’s brace, alongside goals from Soufiane Rahimi and Giorgos Giakoumakis, sealed a dominant night for the hosts.
With this victory, Al-Ain claimed the early momentum in the tournament by moving to the top of the points table, while Al-Nassr were dropped to the bottom, making it an embarrassing start for the defending Saudi Pro League champions.
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Mane’s Furious Reaction to Messi Chants Goes ,Viral
As Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr had a forgettable day after being thrashed by Al-Ain in their opening match of the AFC Champions League, the atmosphere in the stands turned increasingly hostile, with Al-Ain supporters seeking to rattle the Portuguese icon by repeatedly chanting Lionel Messi’s name
In a video that went viral on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), Ronaldo was seen leading his squad onto the pitch for a warm-up ahead of the match. Soon after spotting Ronaldo entering the field, a section of the Al-Ain fans deliberately chanted the name of Lionel Messi, apparently to provoke the five-time Ballon d’Or winner and throw him off his game.
His teammate Sadio Mane, visibly furious, headed towards the stands, gesturing at the Al-Ain supporters and demanding that they stop chanting Messi’s name at the Al-Nassr captain. However, Ronaldo, who just began his warm-up alongside his squad, reacted to the Messi chants by laughing and applauding the Al-Ain supporters, seemingly taking the taunts in stride.
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Since Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been longtime rivals on the global football stage, opposing fans frequently use the Argentine icon’s name to try to get under Ronaldo’s skin. Since Al-Ain fans appeared to target Ronaldo with similar chants before the match, Mane’s reaction quickly caught the attention of fans on social media.
Al-Nassr’s Coach Takes Responsibility for Heavy Defeat
Al-Nassr’s crushing loss at the hands of Al-Ain has become the biggest talking point, as it was Cristiano Ronaldo’s biggest defeat since joining the Saudi Pro League club from Manchester United in 2022.
However, Al-Nassr coach Ange Postecoglou defended Ronaldo, pointing out that he had already scored three goals despite limited preparation. He said the players were giving their best and accepted full responsibility for the defeat, stressing that Ronaldo continues to set an example for his teammates.
“Cristiano has scored three goals already. He had limited preparation [for the season because of his participation in the World Cup]. This is not about the players.” Postecoglou said at the post-match press conference.
“The players are giving everything, and they’re top players, and they’ve got great character.
“The responsibility is mine, OK? It’s mine. But you shouldn’t say that [criticise Ronaldo] about somebody who is still setting an example for everyone. You can criticise me, no problem. Did [Ronaldo] not score in three games? Did he not have chances today?” he added.
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Cristiano Ronaldo will return to action when Al-Nassr takes on Diriyah Club in their opening Saudi Pro League season match at Alawwal Park on October 9.
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