"I don't recognize my club anymore", "Why??" - Fans react as Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr sign Australian defender in loan deal
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr have signed Australian left-back Aziz Behich on a loan deal from Melbourne City FC until the end of the season. The signing has elicited mixed reviews from the Saudi club's fans, with most of them being surprised about it.
Behich can operate anywhere along the left flank and could provide some great depth for Ronaldo's side as they look to close the gap to table toppers Al-Hilal and push for an AFC Champions League title.
However, fans have been struggling to make sense of it. One fan said:
"I don't recognize my club anymore!"
Another one said:
"Why?"
Several fans were expecting a center-back to join Al-Nassr and were thus taken aback by the signing of a left-back, a position in which they already have Alex Telles and Mohammed Qasem.
Here are a few more fan reactions:
Some fans hadn't heard of Behich before the signing but were hopeful of his success at the club.
Other fans were not impressed and called him a bad signing even before he had taken the pitch for the club.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been a one-man army for Al-Nassr this season, having netted 24 and set up 11 in just 25 games for the Saudi Arabian side.
Al-Nassr are up against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in their next matchup on February 1 in the 2024 Riyadh Season Cup. This could be an opportunity for Behich to make his debut for the club and help Ronaldo overcome the ex-Barcelona quartet of Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.
Liverpool sporting director target was once headbutted by Cristiano Ronaldo
Liverpool sporting director target Richard Hughes, who is currently the technical director of Bournemouth, was once headbutted by Cristiano Ronaldo in a game between Manchester United and Portsmouth in 2007.
With manager Jurgen Klopp and sporting director Jorg Schmadtke both stepping down at the end of the season, Liverpool need to find their replacements soon, and Hughes is a prime candidate for the director's position.
If appointed, the Reds would be glad to hear of Hughes' run-in with Ronaldo and rivals Manchester United. Explaining exactly how he won the mental battle against the Portuguese legend, Hughes told Play Up Pompey Three:
"Having come off the bench, my instructions were to pick up Ronaldo from set-pieces. I knew if he had a run on the ball, then his jump was unbelievable. So when a corner was about to be taken, I deliberately moved towards him to make us collide, yet portrayed it as accidental while the ball sailed over our heads."
Cristiano then headbutted Hughes and was sent off. Hughes played down the confrontation as "trivial" while calling it a "highlight of his career":
"It was a trivial moment. One of the highlights of my career, but an insignificant encounter for Cristiano Ronaldo."