Al Nassr has officially confirmed parting ways with Stefano Pioli as the club's manager after yet another trophyless season. Pioli, who had replaced Luis Castro in the role, oversaw a disappointing campaign for Al-Nassr as they failed to snaffle the crowns in Saudi Pro League, Kings Cup and AFC Champions League in the 2024-25 season.
Pioli has been rumoured to return to Florentina following his venture to the Middle East. Al Nassr, meanwhile, will be in need of a new manager, with Cristiano Ronaldo's teammate Sergio Conceicao being linked to join the club.
A statement from Al Nassr read:
"Al Nassr Club Company informs that Mr Pioli and his Staff are no more the acting coaching staff of the first team. We would like to thank Mr Pioli and his staff for their dedicated work during the past season."
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"Our rivalry was purely on the pitch" - Lionel Messi on Cristiano Ronaldo
Meanwhile, Ronaldo's long-time rival Lionel Messi recently spoke about his relationship with the Portuguese, claiming that they are not friends but harbour massive respect for one another. Speaking to DSports on the sidelines of Club World Cup 2025, he stated:
"I hold a deep respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and everything he has achieved in his career, and continues to achieve, as he's still performing at an elite level. Our rivalry was purely on the pitch, driven by our desire to give everything for our respective teams. Off the field, we’re just ordinary people. While we’re not friends in the traditional sense, as we don’t socialize, there has always been mutual respect between us."
