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Al Nassr ace Anderson Talisca has claimed that his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo is unparalleled in football, adding that the team is thrilled to have him on board.
Having signed a blockbuster two-and-a-half-year deal with the Saudi Arabian club, Ronaldo finally made his debut for Al Nassr in a 1-0 win over Ettifaq on Sunday, 22 January. Ronaldo, who is expected to earn $200 million/year during his time with the club, was serving a suspension from the FA, which prevented him from making his competitive debut sooner.
Ronaldo did not find the back of the net in Sunday’s Saudi Pro League clash, with Talisca popping up with the winner in the 31st minute. He, however, still appeared in a jubilant mood and was pleased to lead the club to a win on his debut. Goalscorer Talisca lauded the 37-year-old for gelling so quickly with his new teammates and claimed that he is one of a kind in football.
Speaking to the press after firing his team to a 1-0 win, Talisca said (via CristianoXtra):
“In football there is only one person called Cristiano Ronaldo and there is no one like him. His personality helped him adapt quickly.”
He also added that everyone is happy to have the former Manchester United ace as their teammate.
“We are happy to have Cristiano Ronaldo with us.”
Al Nassr coach Rudi Garcia claims Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence alone won’t help his team beat Saudi Pro League rivals
Facing the great Ronaldo, Ettifaq produced a valiant performance on Sunday. They superbly closed him down and went toe-to-toe with him in the duels, not making the mistake of showing him too much respect.
Al Nassr coach Rudi Garcia, who was not shocked to see Ettifaq put up a fight, insisted that Saudi Arabian clubs are not going to give Ronaldo a free pass.
He told Reuters:
“It’s a positive addition when you have a player like Ronaldo as he helps to distract the defenders, which is what happened with our goal. Today we created opportunities for him and asked the players to diversify the game between him and Talisca, and we must not forget that he participated in the (exhibition match against) Paris St-Germain and did not get enough rest.
“Even with the presence of Ronaldo, it is not easy to win the Saudi League because of … the strength of the competitors.”
It was Cristiano Ronaldo’s second match in Saudi Arabia. He previously scored a brace representing Riyadh All-Star XI in Thursday’s (January 19) 5-4 friendly defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Against Ettifaq, the Al Nassr ace created two chances, attempted four shots, completed a dribble and completed 23 of 27 passes.
