Cristiano Ronaldo is booked for half-time TANTRUM after drop-kicking the ball away in anger as he looked to lead an Al-Nassr counter-attack before the referee blew up in Saudi …
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Cristiano Ronaldo was booked at half-time of Al-Nassr’s quarter-final clash with Abha in the Saudi Arabian King Cup after angrily launching the ball up the field as the whistle blew.
The Portuguese star picked up the ball before firing it far up the pitch as the referee blew for half-time, before he was seen angrily raising his hands and shouting at himself in the official’s direction.
Ronaldo appeared to be frustrated that he was unable to launch a break for his side on the halfway line, despite the fact the stated two minutes of added time had already been played.
He then stormed off the field, with his petulant showing coming even though his went into the break entirely on top of the last-eight clash and heading for a semi-final appearance.
Sami Al-Najei had put Al-Nassr in front with just 10 seconds on the clock after a speculative ball forward caught the Abha defence unawares.
Cristiano Ronaldo was booked at half-time in Al-Nassr’s King Cup quarter-final for a furious tantrum
He picked up the ball and launched it up the pitch in frustration as the referee blew his whistle
And Abdullah Al-Khaibari then doubled the lead on 21 minutes after the ball was cut back behind Ronaldo, who was waiting in the box, for the midfielder to tap home without breaking stride.
Ronaldo was not the only player to go into the book, either, with three yellow cards brandished as team-mate Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem and Abha’s Dries Saddiki were also cautioned.
The hosts also made a fast start to the second half and after Al-Nassr worked a corner to the edge of the box, goalkeeper Devis Epassy made a hash of the resulting punch.
They did not have to wait long to score a third as Mohammed Maran then snuck in at the far post to poke home.
Abha got one back in the 69th minute after Abdulfattah Adam latched onto a loose ball following a save from Nawaf Alaqidi.
Ronaldo has unsurprisingly taken little time to adapt to life in Saudi Arabia having put pen to paper on a contract believed to be worth £175million-a-year.
Ronaldo’s petulant showing came despite the fact his side were cruising into the semi-finals
The 38-year-old had eight goals and two assists in eight games ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Abha.
But he may not be the only name familiar to Premier League viewers making the switch to the Saudi Pro League.
Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha was the subject of a huge £9m-a-year offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, with the Ivorian out of contract at the end of the season.
Al-Nassr had also been keen on a Bosman signing, but their rivals – coached by ex-Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo – are looking to beat them to the punch.
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