Cristiano Ronaldo missing a clear chance could cost the title; Al Hilal overtakes Al Nassr to top the table with significantly higher championship odds.

After the 13th round of the Saudi Pro League, Al Nassr and Al Hilal are at opposite ends of the spectrum, with the title race undergoing a major upheaval. In this round, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr suffered a 2-3 away defeat to Al-Ittihad, marking their first loss of the season. Ronaldo started and played the entire match without scoring. His Portuguese teammate Félix had set him up perfectly, but Ronaldo fumbled a one-on-one chance. Meanwhile, Al Nassr’s city rivals Al Hilal secured a commanding 2-0 away win against Damac.

With one win and one loss trading places, Al Hilal has now surpassed Al Nassr by one point to lead the Saudi Pro League standings. Al Nassr holds 10 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss with 31 points, while Al Hilal remains unbeaten with 10 wins and 2 draws, totaling 32 points. Ronaldo earns an annual salary of 200 million euros at Al Nassr, but this is already his fourth year at the club with no trophies yet. Due to poor performance last season, Al Nassr is excluded from the AFC Champions League this year and can only compete in the secondary AFC competition (the AFC Cup), which is somewhat embarrassing.

As Al Hilal overtakes Al Nassr in points, the latest championship probabilities have been released: Al Hilal’s chance of winning the title has risen to 67%, while Ronaldo-led Al Nassr’s odds have plummeted to 31%. This indicates that international media Footy Rankings are skeptical about Ronaldo leading Al Nassr to the Saudi Pro League crown this season. To fulfill Ronaldo’s championship dream, Al Nassr has signed Portuguese international Félix and Bayern winger Coman this season, creating a star-studded squad. However, Ronaldo’s current style relies heavily on receiving passes in the box, which overburdens the team’s tactics. Since Mané left for the Africa Cup of Nations, Al Nassr’s performance has noticeably declined. With this form, Al Nassr’s title hopes look bleak, and Ronaldo is likely to finish the season without a trophy again. They may have to settle for winning the secondary AFC competition instead…