Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], April 16 : Al Nassr head coach Jorge Jesus has revealed that Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo was suffering from illness and physical discomfort during a recent match, which led to his substitution during Al Nassr's 1-0 league victory over Al Ettifaq on Wednesday night.
Speaking after the game, as quoted by ESPN, Jesus said Ronaldo was not in a fit condition to continue playing due to stomach pain and fatigue. The Al Nassr star felt so bad that he vomited in the dressing room.
"I was thinking of not including Cristiano Ronaldo; he wasn't in good shape. He was suffering from stomach pains and a general feeling of fatigue, when I substituted him, he went straight to the dressing room and threw up," the coach said.
Al Nassr secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Al Ettifaq in a closely fought league encounter, continuing their strong run in the competition with a disciplined defensive performance and a crucial breakthrough goal.
The match remained evenly poised for long phases, with both sides creating limited clear-cut chances in a tense midfield battle. Al Ettifaq showed resilience in defence, keeping Al Nassr's attacking unit under control for most of the game.
Al Nassr, however, managed to find the decisive moment to edge ahead and maintain their lead, which ultimately proved enough to secure all three points. Kingsley Coman scored the winner for Al Nassr during the 31st minute of the match.
The win came amid fitness concerns within the squad, with head coach Jorge Jesus later revealing that Cristiano Ronaldo had been struggling with stomach pain and fatigue during the match before being substituted as a precaution.
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