POSTECOGLOU EXPLAINS HALF-TIME DECISION TO SUBSTITUTE RONALDO
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By; Sunmola Ganiyat
Al-Nassr manager, Ange Postecoglou, has explained his decision to substitute Cristiano Ronaldo at half-time during the club’s dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Al-Ettifaq.
Ronaldo, 41, made his first start since the World Cup but was withdrawn at the interval with Al-Nassr trailing 2-0 and reduced to 10 men.
The Portuguese forward appeared frustrated as he walked off the pitch, gesturing towards the bench.
However, Postecoglou’s tactical changes paid off as Al-Nassr produced a remarkable second-half comeback, with Sadio Mane scoring twice and Abdulelah Al-Amri also finding the net.
Explaining his decision, Postecoglou said he believed the players introduced at half-time would have a greater impact given the circumstances of the match.
“When I made the substitutions, including taking Ronaldo off, I believed the players coming on could make an impact,” he said.
The Australian manager praised all the substitutes for their contributions to the comeback.
He also commended Ronaldo’s performance in the first half, despite opting to replace the veteran forward.
“He performed exceptionally well in the first half, and we opted for a different approach,” Postecoglou said.
The victory extended Al-Nassr’s perfect start to the season, with three wins from three matches sending them to the top of the Saudi Pro League table.
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