Cristiano Ronaldo endured another painful setback on Saturday after Al Nassr lost 1-0 to Japan’s Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final.
The defeat extended Ronaldo’s wait for his first major trophy since joining the Saudi Arabian club in 2023 on a lucrative deal.
Playing in front of over 26,000 fans at the King Saud University Stadium, Al Nassr entered the final as favourites to become the first Saudi club to win the AFC Champions League Two title, regarded as Asia’s equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.
However, Gamba Osaka shocked the home side with a disciplined performance and a decisive first-half goal.
Japanese forward Deniz Hummet scored the only goal of the match in the 29th minute after connecting with a through pass from Issam Jebali before calmly finishing from the edge of the penalty area.
Despite dominating large periods of the game and launching sustained attacks in the second half, Al Nassr failed to break through the Japanese side’s defence.
Speaking after the match, Al Nassr coach Jorge Jesus admitted his team struggled early in the game and paid heavily for a single defensive lapse.
According to the Portuguese tactician, Gamba Osaka’s speed and organisation caught his side off guard during the opening stages before Al Nassr eventually gained control of possession.
The latest defeat comes just days after Ronaldo suffered another frustrating moment in the Saudi Pro League title race.
Earlier in the week, Al Nassr were seconds away from a crucial victory before goalkeeper Bento accidentally scored a late own goal that handed rivals Al Hilal a dramatic 1-1 draw.
That result delayed Ronaldo’s hopes of winning his first Saudi league title with Al Nassr.
After the draw, the Portuguese superstar had expressed optimism on social media, telling supporters that the dream remained alive and urging the team to focus on the final step of the title race.
Al Nassr currently sit two points above Al Hilal with one league match remaining this season.
Ronaldo and his teammates will now attempt to secure the Saudi Pro League title when they face Damac on Thursday, while Al Hilal travel away to face Al Fayha on the same night.
Coach Jorge Jesus insisted the team must quickly move on from the AFC final disappointment and focus entirely on winning the league title.
AFP
