TITLE HOPES VANISH: CRISTIANO RONALDO SCORES BUT AL NASSR COLLAPSE IN 3-1 DERBY DEFEAT
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 16th goal of the season was cancelled out by a disastrous second half as 10-man Al Nassr lost 3-1 to Al Hilal.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s time in Saudi Arabia just keeps getting tougher. Al Nassr blew a one-goal lead and lost 3-1 to Al Hilal, which probably kills off any lingering hope they had of winning the league this season. Ronaldo did his part—he scored right before halftime—but the second half was a disaster. It’s been three years since Ronaldo moved to the Middle East, and he still hasn’t picked up any major trophies. Now, after 14 games, Al Nassr trails Al Hilal by seven points.
Things just keep getting worse for Al Nassr. Not long after a rough home defeat to Al Qadsiah, they faced Al Hilal, who sit atop the table. In the first half, Al Nassr actually looked sharp, creating six chances to Al Hilal’s single shot. Kingsley Coman and Ronaldo both looked lively, and it was the 40-year-old who struck first, lashing in his 16th goal of the season after a slick pass from Coman in the 42nd minute.
But then it all unravelled almost instantly after the break. Mohamed Simakan tripped Malcom in the box, and Salem Al Dawsari smashed home the penalty in the 57th minute. Moments later, chaos—Al Hilal’s Ruben Neves went down holding his face after clashing with keeper Nawaf Al Aqidi. The referee showed Al Aqidi a yellow, but VAR changed it to red for violent conduct, which left Al Nassr a man down for the last half hour.
With nine minutes left, Mohamed Kanno pounced and finished from close range, piling on the misery. Just to make things worse, Neves slotted home a penalty in stoppage time after Ali Al Hassan fouled Al Dawsari. That’s three straight losses for Al Nassr now. Their last win? Way back on December 27.
As for the standout, Ruben Neves was everywhere. He set up Kanno’s goal, drew the red card that changed the game, and then scored the final penalty himself. Al-Dawsari and Kanno got the goals that mattered, but Neves was the difference.
And the biggest culprit? Keeper Nawaf Al Aqidi. Sure, Simakan and Al Hassan gave away penalties, but Al Aqidi’s reckless red card was the turning point. With mistakes like that, it’s hard to see Ronaldo and Al Nassr clawing their way back into the title race.
MARSEILLE MELTDOWN: WHY MEDHI BENATIA QUIT AFTER A BITTER MASON GREENWOOD FALLOUT
Marseille meltdown: Medhi Benatia resigns as Sporting Director after clashes with Mason Greenwood. Get the latest on De Zerbi’s exit.
Marseille’s sporting director, Medhi Benatia, has quit his job after reports of friction with Mason Greenwood, the former Manchester United striker.
It’s a tough time for the club. Benatia’s exit comes with pressure piling up; Marseille’s going through a rough patch that also saw Roberto De Zerbi walk out. De Zerbi left after that brutal 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The team are sitting in fourth, and they just missed out on the next round of the Champions League in dramatic fashion.
Benatia, who used to play for Morocco and had a solid career with Bayern Munich, Roma, and Juventus, confirmed he’s stepping down. In his statement, he didn’t hold back: “Since I got here, I’ve poured my heart into this job with one goal: getting Marseille back where it belongs. I know this club inside out. I understand what it asks of you and the passion behind it.”
He tried to keep things positive: “We’re still in the fight. Making the Champions League is within reach, and we’re still gunning for the Coupe de France. Even with the setbacks and bad luck, the project’s still moving forward on the pitch. But I can’t ignore what’s happening around us.”
Benatia pointed to growing frustration and a communication breakdown: “In Marseille, results speak for themselves. You know I don’t sugarcoat things. With all the tension in management, I’ve handed in my resignation because, to me, the club always comes first. I don’t want to be an obstacle or a burden.”
He finished with a note of regret: “I did everything I could, but I couldn’t calm things down around the team even though I really believe they can hit their targets.”
Apparently, Benatia and Greenwood just didn’t get along. Greenwood’s been crucial for Marseille since joining in 2024, and while De Zerbi backed him publicly, things between Benatia and Greenwood reportedly got icy. L’Equipe claimed the two barely spoke, and Benatia didn’t hide his criticism on or off the field.
Some say Benatia got fed up with Greenwood ignoring commercial duties last summer and not caring about the fallout. Now De Zerbi’s on the market, a familiar name for clubs like Manchester United and Tottenham, both hunting for new managers.
De Zerbi’s already been linked to United before. After his stint at Brighton, he was apparently considered for the Old Trafford job before they stuck with Erik ten Hag.
ARRESTS AT THE MKM: WHY POLICE INTERVENED DURING HULL CITY’S FA CUP DEFEAT
Police made arrests at the MKM Stadium as Chelsea beat Hull 4-0. Read the full report on Pedro Neto's hat-trick and the fan fallout.
Hull City say police made arrests after fans started up discriminatory chants during their 4-0 FA Cup loss to Chelsea on Friday night. Early in the game, the stadium’s PA system cut in with a warning: stop the chanting, or face arrest. Stewards and police didn’t mess around in the second half; the club announced they’d actually detained some supporters.
The chant targeted Chelsea and was homophobic. It’s not the first time this kind of thing has happened. Back in 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service made it clear that a certain lyric in the chant is a homophobic slur, and using it can land you in legal trouble. Just ask Paul Boardman, a Liverpool fan who got slapped with a Wembley ban and a £500 fine for shouting it at a train station.
Meanwhile, the game itself got away from Hull. Chelsea rolled over them, with Pedro Neto bagging a hat-trick. Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic still found a few positives, though. He liked the team’s defensive setup and thought they could’ve used their counterattacks better. “We deserved at least one goal,” he said, “but if we play like this, we’ll be in a good spot in the Championship.” He’s already thinking ahead to the next match against QPR.
On the other side, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior was back at the MKM Stadium, his old stomping ground. He was buzzing about his team’s attitude and effort, especially in the first half. “Hull are flying in the Championship, and I hope they make the Premier League,” he said. “But our mentality and quality tonight made the difference.” He singled out Pedro Neto for his work rate and finishing, but really, he seemed proud of the whole squad. “Everyone put in a shift. The mentality was spot on.”
The night was extra special for Rosenior. He had more than 20 family members in the stands and got warm applause from both sets of fans. “This club means a lot to my family and me,” he said. “I really appreciate the welcome. It was a good night all around.”