Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Asia’s top club competition turned into a night to forget as Al Nassr suffered a stunning 4-0 defeat against Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite on September 15.
The result was not just a poor opening for the Saudi Pro League champions. It also became the biggest defeat Ronaldo has suffered since joining Al Nassr, making the result one of the most notable setbacks of his Saudi Arabian career.
Al Nassr arrived in the United Arab Emirates with plenty of attention surrounding Ronaldo and a squad containing several high-profile names. But Al Ain quickly showed that reputation would mean very little once the match started.
The UAE side attacked with confidence and eventually produced one of its most memorable performances against the Saudi giants.
Al Ain’s Rahimi brothers steal the show
The first warning came early when Houssine Rahimi hit the post in the opening minutes. Al Nassr briefly threatened at the other end, but Al Ain continued to look dangerous.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 25th minute.
A poor back-pass from Saad Al Nasser gave Houssine Rahimi the opportunity he needed. The Moroccan forward kept his composure and finished past goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi to put Al Ain ahead.
Al Nassr needed a response, but the Saudi champions struggled to turn possession into clear opportunities.
Houssine then struck again in the 63rd minute after good combination play from Al Ain. His second goal completely changed the mood inside the stadium and left Al Nassr facing a huge challenge.
The nightmare became even worse for Ronaldo’s team nine minutes later.
Houssine’s brother, Soufiane Rahimi, made it 3-0 after timing his run perfectly onto Alejandro Romero’s through ball. He finished first time into the bottom corner, sending the home supporters into celebration.
There was still time for one more blow.
Soufiane later turned provider, setting up Georgios Giakoumakis for Al Ain’s fourth goal in the 85th minute. The Greek forward made no mistake, completing a remarkable 4-0 victory.
For the Rahimi family, it was a particularly emotional evening. The brothers had recently suffered the loss of their father, making their contribution to such an important victory even more significant.
Ronaldo unable to rescue Al Nassr
Much of the attention naturally focused on Ronaldo.
The 41-year-old Portuguese superstar was looking for another milestone in his remarkable career and entered the match chasing career goal No. 980. However, he could not find the breakthrough.
Ronaldo had a late free-kick opportunity that could have provided a consolation goal, but Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa produced the save to keep his clean sheet intact.
Ronaldo also appealed for a penalty earlier in the match after going down inside the area, but the referee immediately rejected the claim. His night became increasingly frustrating as Al Nassr failed to find a way through the Al Ain defence.
The defeat also brought back memories of the previous meeting between these clubs. Al Ain eliminated Al Nassr from the 2023-24 AFC Champions League after the quarter-final tie finished 4-4 on aggregate before the UAE club won the decisive penalty shootout in Riyadh.
Postecoglou accepts responsibility
Al Nassr manager Ange Postecoglou did not attempt to shift the blame onto individual players after the heavy defeat.
He admitted that Al Nassr were poor as a team and took responsibility for the performance. The result leaves the Saudi champions with only one victory from their last four matches, adding further pressure after their disappointing continental start.
Postecoglou has also defended Ronaldo amid questions about the Portuguese star’s role in the team. Following the defeat, the manager rejected suggestions that Ronaldo himself was responsible for Al Nassr’s problems.
That will make the response in the next few matches particularly interesting. A single defeat does not decide a league-phase campaign, but losing 4-0 leaves Al Nassr with plenty to fix.
Mixed night for Saudi clubs
Al Nassr were not the only Saudi club in action, but their result was certainly the most difficult one to digest.
Four-time Asian champions Al Hilal opened their campaign with a 2-1 victory against Al Gharafa. Ruben Neves scored from the penalty spot before Sergej Milinkovic-Savic added another goal in the second half.
Al Ahli were held to a 1-1 draw by Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor, while Al Ittihad also had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Qatar’s Al Shamal. Al Qadsiah, meanwhile, began with a 2-1 victory over Al Wasl.
The AFC Champions League Elite has an expanded league phase, with the top eight teams from each regional group progressing to the knockout rounds. The later knockout stages are scheduled to be played in Saudi Arabia.
What next for Ronaldo and Al Nassr?
The 4-0 scoreline will undoubtedly dominate the headlines, but Al Nassr still have plenty of time to recover.
The bigger question is how quickly Postecoglou can find solutions. Al Nassr have invested heavily in their squad and will be expected to challenge on multiple fronts. Ronaldo remains the headline name, but this performance showed that individual quality cannot compensate for a poor collective display.
Al Ain, meanwhile, can take enormous confidence from the result. They were aggressive, disciplined and clinical when opportunities arrived. The Rahimi brothers provided the attacking spark, while goalkeeper Khalid Eisa made the important saves when Ronaldo finally threatened.
For Ronaldo, it was a rare night when nothing seemed to go his way.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has experienced plenty of difficult moments during his extraordinary career, but a 4-0 defeat with Al Nassr is now the heaviest loss of his Saudi club career.
The road to continental success has therefore started in the worst possible fashion for Al Nassr.
But the AFC Champions League Elite campaign is far from over. The Saudi champions will have opportunities to respond, and all eyes will be on Ronaldo and his teammates when they return to action.
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