Al Nassr's recent 2-0 victory over Al Fateh in round 22 on 14/2 narrowed the gap with league leaders Al Hilal to one point, keeping their Saudi Pro League title hopes alive. However, coach Jorge Jesus openly acknowledged the financial disparity between the two clubs, emphasizing the challenge Al Nassr faces.

The match against Al Fateh also marked the return of captain Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese forward had missed three previous games due to dissatisfaction with the operation of the Saudi football system, particularly the role of the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Despite his prolific individual statistics—118 goals and 22 assists in 134 matches for Al Nassr, and winning the Saudi Pro League top scorer award for the last two seasons with 35 and 25 goals respectively—Ronaldo has yet to secure an official title since joining Al Nassr in 12/2022. His only trophy with the club is the friendly Arab Champions Cup 2023.

Coach Jorge Jesus reacts after substituting Cristiano Ronaldo during an Al Nassr match. *Photo: Eurasia Sport Images*

Coach Jesus, who previously managed Al Hilal, possesses firsthand insight into their operations. "I used to manage Al Hilal, so I understand how they operate. They possess greater economic power. When I was there, I also benefited as a coach. That is normal", he stated after the Al Fateh win. The 71-year-old Portuguese tactician believes Al Nassr must compete by optimizing their existing resources. "Al Nassr, with different resources, still has to fight for the top positions. We must continue to be strong", he emphasized.

Jesus was brought to Al Nassr last summer with the explicit goal of challenging his former club, Al Hilal, whom he led to a domestic treble in 2024, securing the Saudi Pro League, King’s Cup, and Super Cup. "That is why I was brought here: to reduce the gap between Al Hilal and Al Nassr in terms of titles and points. And we are doing that", he explained. "We believe in the club's structure, in how the team is gradually finding balance both on and off the field. The entire team understands they must compete against an opponent with superior financial resources, not superior professional expertise".

Reflecting on the current season, Jesus expressed confidence in Al Nassr's title aspirations. "We are in the title race and just one point behind the league leaders — something Al Nassr had not achieved before", he said regarding the Saudi Pro League title race. "In recent years, the team was usually 14 to 16 points behind. This season, we do not want that to happen again. I do not know what will happen, but we are confident we can compete until the end of the season".

Al Nassr's immediate focus turns to the AFC Champions League Two. On 18/2, they will play FK Arkadag in the second leg of the round of 16. The Saudi representative holds an advantage with a 1-0 victory in the first leg.

Hong Duy (via ESPN)