"Release everyone in this team", "Pioli has destroyed this team" - Fans slam Al-Nassr as they play out draw in Cristiano Ronaldo's absence

Al-Nassr faithfuls on social media have ripped into the entire squad, including Stefano Pioli, following their 1-1 draw against Al-Taawoun on Friday, May 16. The Knights of Najd failed to defeat their opponents in Cristiano Ronaldo's absence and are gradually slipping away from securing qualification for the AFC Champions League.

Following a cross from Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem, Otavio rifled his header into the net to give Nassr the lead in the 51st minute. Sadio Mane (65’) failed to double the Knights of Najd's lead as his effort was saved by Taawoun's goalkeeper Abdulquddus Atiah.

In the 70th minute, Nassr were punished for failing to maintain solidity in defense by Taawoun's Robinson Martínez. The forward released a shot which went directly into the net following a setup from Mohammed Mahzari.

Despite some late moves by the Knights of Najd to register a win, their efforts proved abortive as the game ended in a stalemate (1-1). During the encounter, Al-Nassr registered 63% ball possession, 21 goal attempts, and seven big chances (via Sofascore).

After the game, fans on X vented their frustration with Al-Nassr's display, with one tweeting:

"RELEASE EVERYONE IN THIS TEAM."

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"Al nassr is the king of bottling games 🤡🤡," another added.

"Siiuuu ronaldo will leave now," a fan opined.

"No AFC champions league no Saudi Super Cup thanks Piolli," another shared.

"Pioli has destroyed this team," wrote another.

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How did Al-Nassr’s Otavio perform against Al-Taawoun

Otavio v Al Hilal: Saudi Super Cup Final - Source: Getty

Despite the stalemate versus Al-Taawoun, Otavio was arguably the best player in the pitch for the Knights of Najd. He also registered Al-Nassr’s opening goal during the encounter.

In his stint, Otavio maintained 92% (44/48) passing precision. He delivered three key passes, created one big chance, and won four out of seven ground duels contested (via Sofascore).

In the rankings, the Knights of Najd are seated in fourth place with 64 points from 32 Saudi Pro League games. Meanwhile, Al-Taawoun are seated in eighth place with 42 points from 32 league games.

The Knights of Najd will have to register decent points in their remaining two games if they intend to qualify for the AFC Champions League. They will face Al-Khaleej in their upcoming game on Wednesday, May 21.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer