Al-Hilal star Renan Lodi has responded to criticism about the Saudi Pro League after their 4-3 win over Manchester City in the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16. The game took place on June 30 at the Camping World Stadium, which saw Al-Hilal advancing to the quarter-finals to face Fluminense.
Things began well for Manchester City after Bernardo Silva (9′) and Erling Haaland (55′) made it to the scoresheet. However, Al-Hilal gave them tough competition, with Marcos Leonardo (46′) and Malcom (52′) finding the back of the net. During extra time, Kadilou Koulibaly scored (94′) to keep the Saudi giants ahead, but Phil Foden equalized (104′) once again. Marcos Leonardo scored the final goal of the game (112′), knocking Manchester City out of the tournament.
In the post-match press conference after Al-Hilal’s 4-3 win, Renan Lodi seemingly hit back at general criticism towards the Saudi Pro League. His comments appeared to be targeting the English media’s criticism meted out towards players choosing to move to the Middle East. He said (via YSS Scores):
Renan Lodi joined Al-Hilal for a reported €23 million from Marseille in January 2024. In the last two seasons, the Saudi Pro League has seen an exceptional rise in popularity in world football. This began when superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mane chose to join Saudi clubs in recent years.
Moreover, the Middle East has been trying to expand its league by attracting young talent from Europe and worldwide, especially by offering them lucrative contracts.
In the post-match press conference, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola shared his thoughts on their 4-3 loss to Al-Hilal in the round of 16. The Spaniard said (via The Independent):
Guardiola further credited Yassine Bounou’s incredible performance in the game, as the goalkeeper made 11 saves in 120 minutes, per SofaScore. He added:
Manchester City will now focus on preparing for the next season after finishing last season without any silverware. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal remain strong contenders to win the FIFA Club World Cup.
Pratyasha is an ardent admirer of Lionel Messi and has followed his journey since she was a kid; he inspires her with his dedication and humility. She has grown up watching, living, and breathing Satyajit Ray’s cinema, which she believes is timeless. She loves Taylor Swift’s music and thinks she’s a lyrical genius, and also admires Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Deepika Padukone.
When Pratyasha’s off the clock, she enjoys reading books and listening to music. During the football season, she is usually busy watching football matches late at night when Barcelona are playing.
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