New Delhi, May 12 (HS): Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr team will now have to wait until the next season to compete for the Saudi Pro League title. After a recent defeat on Sunday, the team has been eliminated from the title race for the 2024-25 season. Their primary goal now is to qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite.

Al Ittihad, currently at the top of the league, strengthened their position by defeating Al Feiha 3-0 with the help of two goals from Karim Benzema. After 31 matches, Ittihad has accumulated 74 points, while Al Nassr can only achieve a maximum of 72 points. Thus, they are out of the title race.

It is noteworthy that Al Nassr last won the Saudi Pro League title in the 2018-19 season. Since then, Al Hilal has claimed the title four times and Ittihad once.

According to the 2024-25 AFC tournament regulations, the top three teams from the Saudi Pro League will qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite. Additionally, the winner of the King’s Cup will enter the AFC Champions League Two (ACL 2), which is Asia’s second-tier competition.

If the King’s Cup winner is already among the top three in the league, the fourth-placed team will receive the ticket to ACL 2.

Both Al Ittihad and Al Qadisiyah, who have reached this year’s King’s Cup final, are in contention for the top three in the league. If either of them wins the cup and remains in the top three, then the fourth-placed team will qualify for ACL 2.

Currently, Al Nassr is in fifth place in the points table. To secure a spot in the AFC Champions League Elite, the team must win all of their remaining four matches, and the results of the top teams must also favor them. If the team finishes in second place, their place in the Elite will be ensured.

If they remain in third or fourth place and the King’s Cup winner is in the top three, Al Nassr may at least have the chance to play in ACL 2.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar