The 2-1 loss ended a perfect start for Ange Postecoglou's side, but another setback has emerged that could complicate the team's preparations for its next league fixture. Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix are facing a fresh challenge at Al-Nassr after the club suffered its first defeat of the Saudi Pro League season against Al-Ittihad. The 2-1 loss ended a perfect start for Ange Postecoglou’s side, but another setback has emerged that could complicate the team’s preparations for its next league fixture. Al-Nassr fought back after falling two goals behind in Jeddah, with Angelo pulling one back before the visitors piled on the pressure. Despite creating several chances late in the match, however, Al-Ittihad held on to claim a major victory and move within one point of Al-Nassr in the table. Al-Ittihad made a flying start, with George Ilenikhena opening the scoring after only four minutes. Steven Bergwijn’s effort was saved by Nawaf Al-Aqidi and came back off the post, allowing Ilenikhena to react quickest and head the rebound into the bottom corner. The young striker doubled his tally in the 22nd minute after Houssem Aouar found him with a clever ball behind the Al-Nassr defence. Ilenikhena kept his composure before producing a superb left-footed finish, giving the hosts a 2-0 advantage and putting Al-Nassr in serious trouble. Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr reacts The visitors eventually found a route back into the contest through Angelo. Cristiano Ronaldo helped create the opening with a brilliant first-touch lob into the area, which released Felix before the ball eventually fell to Angelo, who fired home to make it 2-1 before half-time. Al-Nassr suffers first defeat despite strong push for equalizer Al-Nassr emerged from the interval with much greater intensity and began creating opportunities around the Al-Ittihad penalty area. Ronaldo tested Predrag Rajkovic with a left-footed effort, while Felix also threatened from a difficult angle. Rajkovic quickly became the difference between the two teams, making five saves in the second half alone as Al-Nassr searched desperately for an equaliser. His biggest intervention came late in the match when Felix played Sadio Mane through, only for the Serbian goalkeeper to produce another outstanding stop. The result represents a significant blow for Postecoglou, whose team had won each of its opening four league matches. Al-Nassr remains second on 12 points, while Al-Hilal has moved three points clear at the top, with Al-Ittihad now sitting fourth on 11 points. The defeat also means Ronaldo finished the match without adding to his league tally. The reason why Joao Felix will miss Abha clash The latest headache concerns Felix, who will miss Al-Nassr’s next Saudi Pro League match against Abha on Wednesday, September 9. The reason is connected to an incident late in the defeat to Al-Ittihad, when the Portuguese attacker was booked for a challenge on Richard Rios. That yellow card was his fourth caution of the season, triggering an automatic one-match suspension under the Saudi Pro League’s competition regulations. His absence leaves Postecoglou without one of the team’s most productive attacking players at a particularly important moment. Match DateOpponentFelix’s PerformanceMatch ResultAug. 15Al Fateh⚽ 1 Goal, 🟨 Yellow CardWon 3–0Aug. 21Al-Riyadh⚽ 1 GoalWon 4–0Aug. 25Al-Ettifaq🅰️ 2 Assists, 🟨 Yellow CardWon 3–2Aug. 28Al-Taawoun🟨 Yellow CardWon 2–1Sep. 5Al-Ittihad🟨 Yellow CardLost 1–2 Felix has made an excellent start to life in Saudi Arabia, scoring against Al-Fateh and Al-Riyadh while providing two assists against Al-Ettifaq. He has now contributed two goals and two assists in the league, but his disciplinary record will force him to watch the Abha match from the sidelines. The suspension was not the only frustration for Felix following the defeat. The forward appeared visibly angry with the officiating and declined to give reporters a full interview after the final whistle. Instead, the Por
Since arriving in South Florida in 2023, the Argentine superstar has continued to produce at a level that has allowed him to leave a mark on the franchise that few could have imagined when he first signed. Lionel Messi has reached another landmark in his remarkable Inter Miami career, further strengthening his case as the most important player the young club has ever had. Since arriving in South Florida in 2023, the Argentine superstar has continued to produce at a level that has allowed him to leave a mark on the franchise that few could have imagined when he first signed. At 39 years old, Messi is still adding to his extraordinary legacy and rewriting parts of Inter Miami‘s history that once seemed far beyond reach. Two club records now belong to him outright, underlining the extraordinary impact he has had in just over three seasons. When Messi joined the Herons in July 2023, the club was still in the early stages of its existence after being founded in 2018. Players such as Gonzalo Higuaín and Leonardo Campana had established some of the team’s leading individual marks, but Messi quickly changed the scale of what was possible. His arrival brought an immediate transformation on the field, with the World Cup winner combining goals, assists and match-winning performances while helping Inter Miami compete for major silverware. What makes his latest achievement especially remarkable is the speed with which he has climbed to the top of the club’s statistical charts. The gap between Messi and his closest challengers is now substantial. Luis Suárez, one of his former Barcelona teammates and a key part of Inter Miami’s attack, has scored 54 goals for the club, while Leonardo Campana has 32. Messi owns both major attacking records Messi’s place at the top of Inter Miami’s record books becomes clear when looking at the club’s all-time attacking statistics. He has scored 98 goals in 112 appearances across all competitions, making him the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, while his 54 assists also make him the franchise’s leading provider. Those numbers put Messi comfortably ahead of the competition in both categories. Suárez’s 54 goals leave him second in the scoring charts, while former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba sits well behind Messi in assists with 33. The achievement is even more impressive considering the relatively short period Messi has spent with the club. He has reached those totals in a little over three seasons, while continuing to perform at an elite level despite entering an age when most players have already retired. Luis Suarez of Inter Miami CF celebrating with German Berterame and Lionel Messi Record-breaking 2026 season as Messi’s impact goes beyond statistics Messi’s exceptional performance in the most recent MLS season has contributed to his impressive stats. He has recorded 18 goals and 12 assists in the 2026 regular season, continuing to rank among the league’s most productive attacking players. One of the defining moments came on August 29, when Messi produced a sensational individual display against Montreal. He scored four goals and supplied an assist in Inter Miami’s 7-1 victory, taking his club goal tally to 98 and leaving himself only two goals away from the 100-goal milestone. The numbers only tell part of the story of Messi’s influence at Inter Miami. Since his arrival, the club has won major trophies including the Leagues Cup, Supporters’ Shield and 2025 MLS Cup, while his presence has helped elevate the team’s profile both domestically and internationally. Messi has also played a major role in attracting global attention to MLS and Inter Miami. His partnerships with players such as Suarez and Alba have created a familiar Barcelona connection, while his performances alongside younger teammates have helped accelerate the club’s development.
Arsenal and Chelsea were reportedly interested in signing the Racing Santander midfielder Sergio Martinez. According to a report from TEAMtalk, Real Madrid have beaten the competition from the Premier League clubs to sign the talented young midfielder. They have agreed to pay his €3 million release clause, and the player has now joined the Real […] The post Arsenal and Chelsea miss out as Real Madrid win transfer race for midfielder appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Unai Emery has been nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or Men's Coach of the Year award. The Villa manager ended the club's 30-year wait for a trophy by winning the Europa League in May and delivered a fourth-place Premier League finish. Johan Manzambi, who signed from Freiburg in the summer for a club record fee of just over £50m, has also been nominated for Men's Young Talent of the Year.
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