For the third time this season, Al Nassr came up short against Al Hilal. Unlike the previous two occasions, the stakes were much higher this time as Al Nassr crashed out of the Saudi Super Cup. The tournament was potentially the best opportunity for the Knights of Najd to win a trophy. As much, many of Luis Castro’s players, including Cristiano Ronaldo faced a barrage of criticism. Yet, recently, Portuguese star Otavio, who incidentally was one of the few Al Nassr stars who had a good game, issued an apology to the fans. And it had nothing to do with the team’s sub-par performance.

On his Instagram story, Otavio apologized to the fans for liking a post by Al Hilal star Malcolm. Per Otavio, it was an accident. He added, “The like was unintentional and I hadn’t seen it at the time, I would never like a photo that disrespected me and my club.” “You know and you see that I give my heart for Al Nassr and I will always do until the end“, quoted the midfielder. Indeed, Otavio gave his all in the match and was Al Nassr’s star performer, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.

In 90 minutes, the Portuguese midfielder boasted an impressive pass accuracy of 95%. Also, it was not sideways passes as Otavio created 3 big chances in the night. Moreover, he won a staggering 14 ground duels, exemplifying a complete performance. That’s not all. The Portuguese star even had a goal ruled out. The reason is an unfortunate incident involving Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Otavio’s goal chalked out due to Cristiano Ronaldo’s involvement

In the extra time of the first half against Al Hilal, the score was 0-0. Just then, a cross floated into the Al Hilal penalty box. Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Otavio attempted to attack it. In the end, Otavio got the ball in the net, and it seemed Al Nassr struck the first blow. However, the joy was short-lived as the referee showed the off-side flag. The reason was that CR7 was adjudged to have interfered with the play despite not touching the ball. Soon, Al Hilal scored twice and sealed the game.

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Moreover, Cristiano Ronaldo also found himself embroiled in controversy. The star received a red card after elbowing an Al Hilal defender. As a result, he was sent off in the 86th minute. Ronaldo was not happy with the verdict and even attempted to punch the referee! On the whole, it was a rare occasion when nothing went right for the soccer icon. Nevertheless, what do you make of Otavio’s apology issued to his own fanbase? Let us know in the comments section below.

How Many Times Has Cristiano Ronaldo Been Shown Red Card in His Career Before Getting Sent Off vs Al Hilal in Saudi Super League?