Karim Benzema is grabbing headlines after Al-Nassr’s pre-season friendly in Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo addressed the media following Al Nassr’s pre-season match against Celta Vigo, capturing attention with his controversial remarks.
Ronaldo’s media talk has stirred the pot in soccer as he laid out some controversial statements that had some heads turned. When asked about the possibility of facing his former teammate Karim Benzema in the upcoming Saudi Pro League season, Ronaldo responded, “I wont just face Benzema, I’ll face Nuno Santo, a Portuguese coach who was a champion last year”
Celta Vigo beat Al-Nassr 5-0 in a friendly. 😳
Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo Brozovic & Anderson Talisca all played for the Saudi Pro league side. pic.twitter.com/4RmV5z6vJS
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) July 17, 2023
Ronaldo‘s statement emphasized his focus also on competing against Nuno Santos, highlighting the achievements of Al-Ittihad in winning the league title under the Portuguese coach. His remarks seemed to vary on Benzema’s arrival but also beware the media about the collective strength of Al-Ittihad under Santo.
It remains unclear how Benzema has responded to Ronaldo’s statement, as he is yet to comment on it. Given the French superstar’s vocal nature, it is likely that he will have a response in due time. The addition of Benzema, along with Kante and Jota, has intensified the competition at the top, as Al-Ittihad strengthens its squad. Meanwhile, Al-Nassr has bolstered its team with the inclusion of Marcelo Brozovic.
The upcoming season of the Saudi Pro League is set to commence in August. It will promise an exciting battle between these top Saudi teams.
Nuno Espirito Santo welcomes Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, and Jota at Al-Ittihad
In the Al-Ittihad camp, the Portuguese coach expressed his delight in strengthening the squad. He will relish the opportunity to work with proven European talents such as Benzema and Kante. He also welcomed Jota, the promising young winger from Celtic, to the team.
The Saudi club commenced their pre-season last week, determined to defend their title. A video capturing the new stars embracing their Portuguese coach and bonding with their new teammates quickly circulated on social media.
NES e os seus novos reforços 🌟 pic.twitter.com/mVZuXxxcit
— B24 (@B24PT) July 10, 2023
The side from Jeddah will initiate their season earlier than the rest as they prepare for the Arab Club Champions Cup. On July 27, they are scheduled to face ES Tunis. The Saudi League, on the other hand, will commence on August 11.
Nuno Santos is thoroughly enjoying his new chapter in his managerial career, away from Europe. He gained recognition through his achievements with FC Porto and Wolves. However, he faced a setback during his time at Tottenham, where he was dismissed after just 17 games. Nuno’s reputation has been further bolstered by Ronaldo’s recent comments.
It will be intriguing to observe whether Nuno will make a return to Europe, should he continue to achieve success at Al-Ittihad.
