There are only a few names as iconic as Cristiano Ronaldo in soccer. After his move to Al Nassr in January, the Portuguese superstar is now leading the goal-scoring charts in the SPL. However, there’s an intriguing twist to this narrative. Their rival, Persepolis, seems to have sidelined Ronaldo and chose to focus their defensive strategies on Al Nassr’s Sadio Mane.

But did the unique and unusual strategy end up working out? The Portuguese superstar is playing his first full season with the club. He didn’t have the opportunity to complete an entire season after joining the club in January. This season, the club experienced a less-than-ideal start. However, Al Nassr has witnessed a remarkable turnaround and everything seems to be back on track!

Rival coach opts for Sadio Mane instead of Cristiano Ronaldo

As Al Nassr faced the 15-time Iranian Champions Persepolis in the AFC Champions League, reports emerged suggesting that Persepolis did not consider Cristiano Ronaldo a significant threat. Instead, they were focusing their attention on Ronaldo’s teammate, Sadio Mane. 

The reports indicated a surprising change in strategy. Persepolis coach Yahya Golmohammadi planned to prioritize stopping Sadio Mane over Ronaldo. This decision has raised eyebrows among soccer enthusiasts because Ronaldo’s goal-scoring record this season has been exceptional. He has scored seven goals and notched five assists in only six appearances for Al-Nassr this season.

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With a history of solid performances in continental competitions, Persepolis had previously edged out Al Nassr in a penalty shootout during the AFC Champions League 2020 semi-final. Given that history, one might have expected them to focus on neutralizing the threat posed by Cristiano Ronaldo- the current leading goal scorer in the Saudi League. But that was not the case. Did this strategy work?

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Did Persepolis’ plan ultimately work?

From the looks of it, Persepolis’ unique strategy did not seem to work. They managed to keep Sadio Mane quiet throughout the game. Fortunately for them, even the Portuguese soccer legend did not have his best day on the pitch. The Iran-based club still ended up losing 2-0. The home side’s fullback Danial Esmaeilifar opened Al Nassr’s account after scoring an own-goal.

Things went from bad to worse after an unusual name doubled Al Nassr’s lead. It was Mohammed Qassem’s first goal of the season! In retrospect, Persepolis’ idea of prioritizing the Sadio Mane over Cristiano Ronaldo backfired.

Before the game, reports claimed that the soccer legend was ‘tired’. It’s been quite a busy and hectic schedule for him and the aging veteran will be in need of some time away from the pitch. What were your thoughts on Persepolis’ unique and unusual strategy? Let us know in the comments below.

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