Al-Nassr boss Stefano Pioli only took a few minutes to enjoy his side’s victory over Al Kholood before giving a harsh assessment of his side’s recent performances.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Jhon Duran all got on the scoresheet to help the Saudi side move back into third in the table, 10 points off leaders Al Ittihad.
But the result was marred by another red card for the home side, leaving them to play over 30 minutes with 10 men.
It is an issue that is happening more frequently than Pioli would like, and he gave a brutal assessment of his squad, who he is hoping can recharge during the international break and help push Al-Nassr on in the final stretch of the season.
He said: “Happy with the three points and the victory. Happy with the players’ hard work, love and desire to win. We lost several balls, especially in the second half, but the most important thing is that we came out immediately with the three points.
“Playing with ten players makes us expend more energy, and I hope we don’t play like this in the future.
+3 points. Business handled before the break! 💼✅ pic.twitter.com/5IyHOnqpwy
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) March 14, 2025
“There are two and a half months left until the end of the season. We need energy and preparation for the rest of the season, and the players should enjoy the break now.
“There are no perfect matches. Recently, the players have been working hard, and the circumstances we faced were difficult. We were in a difficult phase that we have now passed, and we must prepare for what comes after the break.”
It will take a big swing for Al-Nassr to win the title now, with both Ittihad and Al-Hilal ahead of them in the standings.
But a top three position and a place in the AFC Champions League is very much up for grabs.
