Cristiano Ronaldo and
Al Nassr head coach Jorge Jesus are grateful for their “second chance” to claim the
Saudi Pro League title after their celebrations were interrupted by a 1-1 draw against
Al Hilal on Tuesday.
Al Nassr appeared to be on the verge of securing the title while leading 1-0 in stoppage time, but goalkeeper Bento mishandled a throw-in, allowing the ball to slip into the net and gift Al Hilal an equalizer, leaving the home crowd stunned and Ronaldo in disbelief.
“The dream is close. Keep your heads up, we have one more step to take! Thank you all for the amazing support tonight,” Ronaldo expressed in an Instagram update.
Jorge Jesus, who previously led Al Hilal to a league title, Saudi Kings Cup, and Super Cup in 2024, joined Al Nassr last summer.
“It’s disappointing to lose the chance to celebrate the title today on the last play of the game, but there’s still one more match [against Damac] at our home stadium where we can become champions,” stated Jorge Jesus.
“We have a second chance. There’s still a game left for us to find joy. If the fans are as supportive as they were today, we will surely celebrate the title in the final game.”
When discussing the equalizing goal, he added: “The incident occurred following a collision between Bento and [Iñigo] Martínez, without any involvement from Al Hilal players. Such situations are common in football.”
Al Nassr currently sits five points clear at the top of the standings and has a game in hand.
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They can secure the title with a victory over
Damac on May 20, or if Al Hilal fails to win against Neom on May 16.
Additionally, they have the opportunity to claim their first major trophy since Ronaldo’s arrival in December 2022 when they face Gamba Osaka in the Asian Champions League final on May 16.