“Has the same mentality as Cristiano Ronaldo” - Luis Castro hails 28-year-old Al-Nassr star before game against Al-Ettifaq
Al-Nassr coach Luis Castro has heaped praise on midfielder Otavio, comparing his mentality to Cristiano Ronaldo, ahead of their clash against Al-Ettifaq on Friday, December 22.
Otavio was one of the many stars who moved to Saudi Arabia from Europe in the summer as he joined Al-Nassr from FC Porto. He has since made 22 appearances across competitions for the Knights of Njad and registered four goals and two assists.
He has played as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder, and even a right winger this season. Ahead of their clash against Al-Ettifaq, Castro lauded Otavio's versatility and likened his mentality to Cristiano Ronaldo, saying (via Essentially Sports):
“Otavio has the same mentality as Cristiano. He always wants to play and win. Technically, tactically, and mentally, he is very strong and if he does not have the ball, he wants to get it back. He plays in a 6-8-7 position wherever you want.”
Otavio has shared the pitch 31 times with Cristiano Ronaldo for Al-Nassr and Portugal, combining for three goals.
The Knights of Njad, meanwhile, are set to take on eighth-placed Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium on Friday. Luis Castro's side have won their last two games across competitions, scoring nine goals.
They are second in the league standings, 13 points behind Al-Hilal with two games in hand.
Al-Ettifaq midfielder makes Cristiano Ronaldo claim ahead of their SPL clash against Al-Nassr
Al-Ettifaq midfielder Jordan Henderson recently said that he started watching the Saudi Pro League following Cristiano Ronaldo's move in December.
Ronaldo left Manchester United in November 2022 due to mutual termination of his contract following a falling out with manager Erik ten Hag. He, much to the surprise of many, joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in December.
While his move was initially criticised, it paved the way for a number of stars to move to Saudi Arabia in the summer. One of them is Jordan Henderson, who left Liverpool to join Al-Ettifaq for reportedly £12 million.
The Englishman recently said that he started watching the Saudi Pro League only after Ronaldo's move: (via Sports Brief):
“I started watching Saudi League matches after the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo."
Ronaldo's move has certainly helped the Saudi Arabian league gain immense traction from the footballing world.
The Portuguese forward's impact, however, isn't limited to his stardom but also on the pitch. He has scored 34 goals and provided 12 assists in 41 games across competitions for Al-Nassr so far.