- Garcia sacked back in April
- Change required in the dugout
- Portuguese takes the reins
WHAT HAPPENED? The Saudi Arabian outfit parted company with Rudi Garcia in April following a frustrating finish to their 2022-23 campaign. With results taking a turn for the worse, as title glory slipped from their grasp, Al-Nassr decided that a change was required in the dugout.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: There were suggestions that Ronaldo was given a say in the decision to change manager, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner becoming the leading man in Riyadh. A permanent successor to Garcia has now been found, with Castro taking over the reins.
AND WHAT'S MORE: The 61-year-old boasts vast experience as a coach and was most recently at Botafogo in Brazil. He has previously spent time with Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk, and will have no problem communicating with star man Ronaldo as a fellow Portuguese native.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? Al-Nassr will need to raise their game again as a collective in 2023-24 if they are to challenge for major honours, with a number of household names heading to the Middle East. Marcelo Brozovic is linking up with Ronaldo, while the likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly and Ruben Neves have made their way to rival outfits in Saudi Arabia.