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Al Nassr blitzed past Al Tai 5-2 in the league, courtesy of a 2nd-half hattrick by Cristiano Ronaldo. The match erased any concerns that the Knights of Najd are still reeling from the disappointment of their AFC Champions League exit. However, it seems the team doesn’t have much time to bask in glory as coach Luis Castro has already set sights on the Spanish Super Cup. For Al Nassr, they face a daunting fixture in the tournament, against the team that has been their Achilles Heel this season, Al Hilal.

As per reports, Luis Castro has arranged special preparations for the Spanish Super Cup semi-final bout. The Portuguese manager reportedly said, “We have prepared a program to prepare the players for the Super Cup.” It is not exactly known how Castro intends to execute this ‘program‘. However, considering that Al Hilal has defeated Cristiano Ronaldo & Co twice this season, extra efforts in training make sense.

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In the two games played this season, Al Hilal vanquished Al Nassr firing two and three goals where the latter failed to even hit the net. In fact, in the last 6 meetings between the two sides, Al Hilal has emerged victorious on four occasions! However, it’s not all gloom and doom for the Knights of Najd. Their last victory against the number one-seeded team in the country came in arguably the most significant game.

In August 2023, Al Nassr beat Al Hilal to win the Arab Club Champions Cup. The difference maker on the night was Cristiano Ronaldo who scored a brace to win his first trophy with the club. Can CR7 repeat the heroics and inspire his team once again? Well, a recent update has emerged that has greatly enhanced their chances of victory!

In a boost to Cristiano Ronaldo & Co.’s Super Cup hopes, the Al Hilal star ruled out of the clash

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Aleksander Mitrovic has been a revelation this season. The Serbian has scored 22 goals in the league, and only Cristiano Ronaldo has more. However, in a big blow to Al Hilal, the striker has been ruled out of the clash against Al Nassr. The Serbian got injured in the 7-goal thriller against Al Shabab. Adding salt to the wound, he was incredible that game and even scored a brace before being substituted in the 34th minute.

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As per reports, Mitrovic is expected to be out for the entire month of April! He is expected to be back in action by the middle of May. This is not only a boost for Al Nassr’s Super Cup hopes, but also for the league aspirations. With Al Hilal without both Neymar and Mitrovic, perhaps there is a chance for a slip-up at the end of the season and this could be the opportunity that Cristiano Ronaldo’s side need.

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Written by

Adithya Narayanan

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Adithya is a Soccer Writer at EssentiallySports. A Liverpool fanboy, he takes pride in being alive to witness Jurgen Klopp taking the Reds to domestic and European glory. Adithya loves an in-depth soccer chat involving tactical intricacies and stats.
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Edited by

Sreeda U M