Cristiano Ronaldo despite playing two seasons in the Saudi Pro League, has yet to win a league title. His team, Al Nasr, had a rough start this season after finishing behind Al Hilal last year.
Due to these poor performances, coach Luis Castro lost his job. In a bid to change their fortune, Al Nasr has brought in more high-profile coaching talent including AC Milan’s long-time coach.
Stefano Pioli, who led AC Milan to the Serie A title in 2021-22, has been hired as the new head coach of Al Nasr. Castro was sacked on September 18 after winning just one of three league matches with the final straw being a 1-1 draw against Iraqi side Al Hada in the AFC Champions League.
According to ESPN, Pioli signed a three-year contract with Al Nasr. 58-year-old Italian coach not only won the Serie A title with Milan but also reached the semi-finals of the Champions League that same season earning him the Best Coach Award.
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Pioli has wealth of experience in Italian football, having coached clubs like Inter Milan, Lazio, and Fiorentina. He also briefly coached Italy’s national team during the last European Championship although he lost his job after the team’s disappointing performance.
This will be Pioli’s first time coaching a club outside of Italy. His debut as Al Nasr’s coach is set for next Monday, September 23, in a league match against Al Ittifaq.
