Stefano Pioli, the manager of Al-Nassr, is nearing a departure from the club because of his fractured bond with the renowned footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Pioli assumed control of the Saudi team in September 2024, stepping in after the dismissal of Luis Castro.
Al-Nassr is presently positioned third in the Saudi Pro League standings and trails the frontrunners, Al-Ittihad, by 10 points after managing only two league victories in their past five matches.
Per SportItalia, Pioli is teetering on the edge of exiting the club due to the strained connection with Al-Nassr’s leading player, Ronaldo.
Should Pioli be released from his role, it’s understood that Roma are poised to quickly secure Pioli, who guided AC Milan to the Serie A championship in 2022, with Claudio Ranieri expected to depart from the Giallorossi at the season’s conclusion.
Reports indicate that friction between Pioli and Ronaldo began to surface following the manager’s choice to replace the iconic forward during Al-Nassr’s 3-1 triumph against Al Kholood two weeks prior.
The Portugal skipper kicked off the scoring just four minutes into the game before his team surged ahead to a 3-0 advantage.
Pioli then opted to pull Ronaldo from the match, much to the astonishment of the striker, as Al-Nassr comfortably headed toward the final whistle.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli