Cristiano Ronaldo Sends Important Message After Inspiring Al Nassr To Beat Benzema’s Al Ittihad

• Cristiano Ronaldo has sent a warning to rival clubs following his brace against Al-Ittihad
• His double ensured Al-Nassr grabbed the bragging rights, securing a 5-2 win against the Tigers
• The 38-year-old's brace against Karim Benzema's side makes him the overall top scorer in 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo conveyed a significant message to rival clubs as he propelled Al-Nassr to a convincing victory over Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League on Boxing Day.

Ronaldo and Sadio Mane both scored twice, joined by Anderson Talisca, securing a resounding 5-2 win for the Knights of Najd against the defending champions.

Ronaldo nets twice against Benzema's Ittihad

Interestingly, the highly anticipated match between Ittihad and Al-Nassr, featuring a reunion of former Real Madrid teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, began with the home side taking the lead, Fan Nation reports.

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Benzema's effective combination with Moroccan forward Abderrazak Hamdallah resulted in a goal after 14 minutes, igniting cheers from the home crowd.

However, Al-Nassr quickly equalised through veteran Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who confidently converted a penalty five minutes later.

Later, the visitors turned the tide in their favour when Anderson Talisca put Al-Nassr in the lead for the first time.

Despite Hamdallah restoring parity for Ittihad after halftime, it became the Ronaldo and Mane show. Ronaldo netted his second goal of the game and Al-Nassr's third to regain the lead.

In the closing stages, Senegalese forward Mane secured a brace within seven minutes, sealing a comprehensive victory for the Arab Cup champions, per Sportstar.

Ronaldo's poignant message after Ittihad win

Following his instrumental role in Al-Nassr's emphatic win, the 38-year-old, who has now notched up 53 goals in 2023, issued a stark warning to rivals.

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Ronaldo celebrated the victory on Instagram, urging his team to replicate such performances as they pursue Al-Hilal in the Saudi top flight.

He wrote: "Important win! We are not stopping!"

The win for Luis Castro's men means they now reduce the gap between themselves and league leaders Al-Hilal to seven points.

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Ronaldo, Benzema hug ahead of SPL clash

Sports Brief also reported that a video of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema sharing a warm embrace moments before Al-Ittihad's clash against Al-Nassr has warmed hearts online.

The two Real Madrid legends reunited during the Tuesday night Saudi Pro League clash staged at Prince Abdullah AlFaisal Stadium.