According to reports, Saudi Arabian giants Al Nassr have parted ways with manager Rudi Garcia after Cristiano Ronaldo briefed the team about his discontent with the manager’s style.
Cristiano Ronaldo put pen-to-paper on a staggering deal to join Al Nassr in January and he would reportedly take home an estimated £173-million yearly.
The Portuguese earns the biggest salary currently in football
That amount is by far, the highest salary in football which contains rights and commercial obligations, with massive impact expected as a result.
Ronaldo has scored 11 league goals in only 10 matches for his new team but Al Nassr have dropped down the pecking order from leading the Saudi Arabian top-flight to being three points behind table toppers, Al-Ittihad.
Last Sunday, Ronaldo alongside his teammates couldn’t break down a resolute, Al-Feiha side, who were unwavering and held on for seven minutes of additional time to grab a point from Al Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo was angry following the draw against Al-Feiha
Ronaldo was visibly disgusted after the final whistle and he didn’t hide in making some of his opponents know about his displeasure with the result as he exited the pitch.
The Portuguese was seen sharing words with Al-Feiha’s Ali Al-Zaqaan, stating to him: “You don’t want to play,” as he claimed time wasting.
That encounter saw the five-time-Ballon D’or winner run straight down the tunnel after full time without lurking around to shake hands with players of the opposition, in a similar manner to his strop which saw him exit the World Cup after his nation’s quarter final defeat to Morocco.
A publication released by Diario AS now builds on reports from Saudi Arabia that Ronaldo has become frustrated with the showing and style from head coach, Garcia.
Ronaldo made it known to the team that he was not happy with how things had panned out in recent weeks. It builds on the reports from everywhere in the country that Al-Nassr have now dismissed their head coach.
The share of the spoils against less competitive teams Al-Feiha and Al-Fateh, in addition to the loss against league leaders Al-Ittihad, have increased the pressure on Garcia.
The incoming of Cristiano Ronaldo has seen expectations at the club shoot up but they haven’t been able to rise up to the occasion.
The Frenchman also bashed Ronaldo in January
Rudi Garcia also did not avoid blaming Cristiano Ronaldo, his new talisman after the Portuguese missed a massive chance during their super cup loss to Al Ittihad in January.
Garcia speaking after that game said: “One of the things that changed the course of the match was Cristiano’s missed opportunity in the first half.”
The former AS Roma manager has a rich coaching CV, having in the past managed Lille, Roma, Marseille and Lyon, before he was announced as manager of Al Nassr in June 2022, seven months before Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Saudi Pro League side.
Garcia won the French Ligue 1 alongside the Coupe De France during his time with Lille in France and he was announced as the Ligue 1 Manager of the Year in 2010/11. He was also named the French Manager of the Year in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
