CRISTIANO RONALDO 'DOESN'T CONTROL' CONTROL AL NASSR INSISTS CLUB CEO

Al Nassr CEO Guido Fienga has said Cristiano Ronaldo "doesn't control the club" but stressed the important role the Portugal captain plays in the team.

The comments come following suggestions that Ronaldo holds a lot of influence at the club regarding on and off-field decisions.

On Wednesday, Al Nassr sacked Portuguese coach Luis Castro after just one win in three league games and replaced him with Italian manager Stefano Pioli.

At a club event on Wednesday, Fienga said: "Cristiano Ronaldo is our captain and he is the strongest player in the world not just technically but how he behaves.

"Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't control the club but obviously, being the No. 1 in the world, he gives the direction of where we have to go and which are the targets we have to reach. He is a winner and we ask him to teach us how to win."

Ronaldo, 39, has won just one title, the Arab Club Champions Cup, since joining Al Nassr in December 2022 from Manchester United.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has scored 62 goals for Al Nassr and his thirst for success at the club was evidenced by his tears after their King's Cup final loss to Al Hilal in May saw them end the season trophyless.

"He is a winner and we ask him to teach us how to win," Fienga said of the former Real Madrid star.

"We want to win with him this year and reach the best target that we can. Cristiano is part of the team and we are very happy to have him in our team."

Ronaldo missed Al Nassr's 1-1 draw with Al Shorta in the revamped Asian Champions League on Monday with illness, in what turned out to be Castro's last game in charge.

"Step by step we will improve," Fienga said

"This summer don't forget we invested almost $100 million in new players. I believe we did a good job in order to reinforce the club with some good players that we needed ... we need to work and give stability to the club to work and to produce the value and not destroy the value every six months."

- Adriana Garcia

CRISTIANO RONALDO WINS FIRST TITLE WITH AL NASSR WITH BRACE IN ARAB CLUB CHAMPIONS CUP FINALS

Reuters 

Cristiano Ronaldo guided 10-man Al-Nassr to their first ever Arab Club Champions Cup title after scoring twice in a 2-1 extra-time win over fellow Saudi side Al-Hilal on Saturday.

Ronaldo failed to land a trophy last season after his move to Al-Nassr, who finished runners-up in the Saudi Pro League, but the 38-year-old scored six times in the tournament to finish as its top scorer en route to the title.

The tournament is played by top Arab clubs in the region and included teams from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.

The star-studded Al-Nassr side had many chances to score in the first half with close season signings Sadio Mane, Seko Fofana and Marcelo Brozovic all denied by goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais.

The game at King Fahd Sports City stadium remained scoreless until six minutes into the second half when Al-Hilal's Malcom crossed the ball and found fellow Brazilian Michael, who put his side ahead with a free header.

To rub salt into their wounds, the 27-year-old even produced the Ronaldo goal celebration as he ran to the corner flag and leapt into the air.

That seemed to fire up Ronaldo and the Portugal captain equalised in the 74th minute when he got on the end of a low cross from right back Sultan Al-Ghannam to score for a fifth game in a row.

Al-Nassr defender Abdulelah Al-Amri was sent off in the second half before Nawaf Boushal was given his marching orders while on the bench for arguing with an official, but they held on to take the game to extra time.

Ronaldo then doubled the lead in the first half of extra time when he pounced on a rebound off the crossbar and headed home with the goalkeeper off his line.

There were concerns, however, when Ronaldo was carted off the field with an apparent injury after a collision in the second period of extra time -- just two days before their Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Ettifaq.

- Reuters