Ronaldo's Saudi club Al Nassr without a coach as Pioli leaves
Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi Arabian club, Al Nassr, is without a head coach after Stefano Pioli departed on Wednesday. The Italian is expected to return home and take charge of Fiorentina.
Al Nassr, which is owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, now finds itself without a manager just days before Ronaldo's contract expires on Monday. The 40-year-old forward has been with the club for 2½ years.
In a statement posted on social media, the club announced: 'Pioli and his staff are no longer the acting coaching staff of the first team.'
Pioli previously coached Fiorentina for two seasons until 2019 and went on to win a Serie A title during his five-year tenure at AC Milan. After being let go by Milan following the 2023–24 season, he joined Al Nassr, replacing Luís Castro, who was dismissed earlier in the year.
Al Nassr is aiming for its first domestic league title since 2019 and has parted ways with three full-time coaches since Ronaldo's arrival.
The team has qualified for next season's AFC Champions League after finishing third in the Saudi Pro League. That position was confirmed following a successful legal appeal that saw the club awarded a win in a match against a team found to have fielded an ineligible player.
Ronaldo recently helped Portugal win the UEFA Nations League title, delivering standout performances throughout the tournament.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Ronaldo's Saudi club Al Nassr without a coach as Pioli leaves ahead of expected return to Fiorentina
RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr is without a coach after Stefano Pioli left Wednesday, with the Italian expected to return home to Fiorentina. Al Nassr, owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, is left without a coach days before the 40-year-old Ronaldo's contract expires Monday. The club said in a social media post 'Pioli and his staff are no more the acting coaching staff of the first team.' Pioli previously coached Fiorentina for two seasons until 2019, then won a Serie A title in five years at AC Milan. The club let him go after the 2023-24 season and he joined Al Nassr months later when Luís Castro was fired. Al Nassr is seeking a first domestic league title since 2019 and has parted with three full-time coaches since Ronaldo joined the club 2 ½ years ago. The team will play in the Asian Champions League next season after placing third in the Saudi Pro League. This was secured by winning an end-of-season legal case to be awarded a victory against a team that was judged to have fielded an ineligible player. Ronaldo was a standout helping Portugal win the UEFA Nations League title this month.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after Al Nassr sack coach Stefano Pioli amid reports he wanted him out
Cristiano Ronaldo has responded to the sacking of Al Nassr coach Stefano Pioli amid earlier reports claiming he wanted him removed due to poor results and lack of trophies. Ronaldo dropped a reaction for Pioli on Al-Nassr's post about his removal as coach. read more Portuguese legend has reacted to the sacking of Al Nassr coach Stefano Pioli with a short but respectful message on social media. Sharing Al Nassr's official post confirming Pioli's exit, Ronaldo wrote, 'Grazie per tutto!" (Thank you for everything). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reports suggested Ronaldo wanted Pioli out This comes at a time when there had been reports that and had wanted him removed. Back in May, Saudi media outlet Okaz Sports reported that Ronaldo was demanding big changes at Al Nassr if he was to stay at the club beyond this season and that included removing coach Stefano Pioli. in January 2023 and has only won one title so far, the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup. This season, Al Nassr fell short again, losing in the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite and finishing behind in the Saudi Pro League title race. More from Football According to reports, Ronaldo was growing frustrated with the lack of trophies and believed Pioli's tactics were not helping the team progress. Pioli was appointed in September 2024 but couldn't deliver silverware during his time at the club. As per the reports, Ronaldo was also unhappy with the transfer strategy and wanted someone new in charge who could build a winning team. Despite all the speculations, Ronaldo's farewell message suggests that there is no controversy at the club right now. Speculation over Ronaldo's future at Al Nassr Earlier, there were also reports that Ronaldo would leave the club before the start of the new season. The rumour was triggered after Ronaldo took to social media following their dismal season to declare that a 'chapter is over.' Several media reports suggested that Ronaldo was looking to play in the , and for that, he needed a team that had qualified. However, those reports turned out to be baseless as Ronaldo didn't join any club for the expanded Club World Cup in the United States. Instead, he played for Portugal in the UEFA Nations League and won against Spain in the final.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Rubiales update: Spain's High Court upholds conviction but no prison sentence for ex-football chief
Spain's High Court on Wednesday upheld a verdict that found former football federation president Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for an unsolicited kiss on the lips of national team player Jenni Hermoso at the 2023 World Cup in Sydney. The court rejected multiple appeals against the conviction, reaffirming Rubiales kissed Hermoso without her consent during the medal ceremony after Spain's women had won the trophy, according to the ruling seen by Reuters. Rubiales was fined over 10,000 euros ($11,592) and acquitted of coercion charges alongside three co-defendants. Prosecutors had sought a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence and called for a retrial, both of which were dismissed. ALSO READ: Ronaldo's Saudi club Al Nassr without a coach as Pioli leaves The incident sparked widespread debate about sexism in Spanish society and women's football, fueling momentum for the 'Me Too' movement in the country. Rubiales argued that his actions were motivated by an uncontrollable joy, but the court ruled that his restraint with other players and attendees demonstrated he could have avoided such behaviour with Hermoso. 'Since that emotion did not lead him to express his joy so effusively by kissing the other players or the accompanying persons in the box, and he restrained himself, he could also have done so, without too much effort, with the captain of the team,' the court said.
