Ange Postecoglou Defends Cristiano Ronaldo After Al-Nassr's Defeat
Ange Postecoglou went on the offensive for all the wrong reasons on Tuesday night – not on the pitch, but in the press room.
Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite campaign began with a thud in the United Arab Emirates, a bruising 4-0 defeat to Al-Ain dragging the Saudi Pro League champions back to earth after a bright start to the season. The scoreline stung. So did the questions that followed.
At the centre of the storm: Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 39-year-old, with three goals in six matches this season, laboured through a frustrating night, unable to influence a game that ran away from his side. That was enough for one Saudi reporter to go on the attack, and he did so bluntly.
According to English newspaper the Daily Mail, the journalist asked Postecoglou whether Ronaldo’s presence in the starting XI was now holding Al-Nassr back, claiming the legendary forward “does not benefit the team” – even if he wasn’t, in the reporter’s words, a complete burden.
Postecoglou bristled.
“Cristiano has already scored three goals. His preparation period was limited,” he snapped back. “It is not about the players. The players are giving their all and they are top-class players with wonderful character.”
The Australian refused to let the criticism sit on his captain’s shoulders.
“The responsibility falls on me,” he continued, shifting the glare away from the dressing room. “But you should not say that about someone who is still a role model for everyone.”
The temperature in the room rose. Postecoglou doubled down, turning the question into a wider point about respect for Ronaldo’s career.
“You have to be careful when you say things like this about people who have built their career on making every sacrifice to keep playing,” he said. “You can criticise me, no problem.”
The reporter, though, refused to retreat. He pushed again, insisting Ronaldo had not done “anything” in the match.
That was the final trigger.
“He did not do anything?” Postecoglou fired back. “You are watching a different match to me.”
On a night when Al-Nassr were humbled on the pitch, their coach chose his battle off it – and made it clear that, for all the noise around the result, he is not about to let anyone casually write off Cristiano Ronaldo.
