Cristiano Ronaldo's opinion of playing attacking football was sought before Al-Nassr decided to sack Rudi Garcia - Reports
Al-Nassr hierarchy took Cristiano Ronaldo's opinion that the Saudi Pro League club should play attacking football into consideration when deciding to sack manager Rudi Garcia, according to Arab newspaper Arriyadiyah.
Although Al-Aalami are yet to announce Garcia's exit, the Frenchman's stint at Mrsool Park has come to an end. According to the aforementioned source, the club relieved the manager of his duties on Wednesday (April 12).
Al-Nassr's goalless league draw against mid-table side Al-Fayha on Sunday (April 9) frustrated fans, but the club's hierarchy had not thought about sacking Garcia. However, things escalated quickly after the tactician launched an attack on the players during a team meeting the next day.
The Frenchman blamed the players for the draw against Al-Fayha and mocked some of them with harsh remarks. He allegedly labeled Abdulrahman Ghareeb, the team's joint-top assist provider in the league, an ordinary player, while full-back Sultan Al-Ghannam also received severe criticism.
On learning about what happened during the meeting, the Al-Aalami hierarchy reportedly talked to several players to understand the situation. The players complained that the atmosphere in the camp under Garcia was unhealthy.
Cristiano Ronaldo was among those who were consulted by the club before taking a decision on the tactician. According to the aforementioned report, the Portuguese icon's opinion that Al-Nassr should play attacking football was one of the reasons behind the club's decision to part with Garcia.
It's worth noting that Ronaldo's opinion was contrary to the former Olympique Lyon manager's approach. In a meeting with the administration on Wednesday (April 12), Garcia reportedly informed them that he would use a defensive 5-4-1 formation moving forward.
The Frenchman was of the view that it was the only system suitable for the players at his disposal. Al-Aalami, though, decided to pull the plug on the manager after internal discussions.
Who will take charge of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr?
Al-Nassr have already tasked their Under-19 head coach Dinko Jelicic with leading the team for the time being. The Croatian is expected to remain in charge of the squad till the club appoint a new permanent manager.
There have been reports that the Saudi Pro League club are keen to hire Jose Mourinho as their new boss. They're reportedly willing to offer the AS Roma manager €100 million to join them.
Cristiano Ronaldo's side have a huge game against Al-Hilal coming up on Tuesday (April 18). It remains to be seen if the Mrsool Park outfit bring in a new manager in time for the clash.