SAUDI ARABIA
Cristiano Ronaldo attempts to explain his punishment
The Portuguese star appeared before the media in advance of the Asian Champions quarterfinal match against Al Ain.
Cristiano Ronaldo has once again stepped in front of the microphones. After a tumultuous few weeks, the Al Nassr player took advantage of a press conference to call for hope ahead of the tie in which they currently trail by one goal, and also to express his regret after being sanctioned for making obscene gestures towards the stands in Saudi stadiums.
“Tomorrow is a very important match and we know it. The players and the fans, as well as the country in general, are aware of its significance. We are prepared and hopeful. It will be a good night for our fans,” he said.
Ronaldo sends hopeful message to Al-Nasr fans
The former Real Madrid player believes in the comeback against Al Ain.
“My message to Al-Nasr fans: be with us tomorrow. We have a lot of confidence in ourselves and we have taken a big step towards the semifinals, and that’s what we hope for. Human life is built with challenges. We need to seek success in tomorrow’s match. Tomorrow [the comeback], God willing. Tomorrow is life or death.”
Cristiano just misunderstood
Regarding his sanction for making obscene gestures to the crowd.
“I can’t promise much, because I am human and nothing is perfect, and life is made of mistakes, but it’s better to reduce mistakes to become better. Some people have a poor understanding of things and my actions are not always correctly understood. What I did before and for which I was punished was misunderstood.
“I respect the country I live in, and that behavior is normal in Europe, and sometimes passion for the game and enthusiasm make you make mistakes. Who doesn’t make mistakes? But I don’t intentionally do anything wrong.”
“I am happy to be in Saudi Arabia and I am happy to represent Al Nassr Club. For me, so far, our season has been positive, in my opinion, because we have had opportunities in all the tournaments,” he concluded.