Mane, Firmino shun result to rekindle Liverpool made friendship
Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino smiled and hugged each other as they reunited after a Saudi Pro League match.
The former Liverpool teammates shook hands, shared a joke and seemed delighted to see each other despite the all-important result.
Cristiano Ronaldo had converted a penalty to ensure Mane’s Al-Nassr team kept their dwindling title hopes alive, and put Firmino’s Al-Ahli nine points behind them in third place.
Al-Nassr are nine points behind unbeaten league leaders Al-Hilal, who are clinching the title thanks to goals from Aleksandar Mitrovic.
After the match, Firmino was holding a yellow Al-Nassr shirt, so it is possible that he and Mane had exchanged uniforms.
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The two had a fleeting reunion and showed each other a lot of love and respect for each other in the tunnel.
Their reunion was fleeting, not even 20 seconds on camera, before they separated and Mane received a pat on the head from Ronaldo.
Former Liverpool teammates Sadio Mane and Firmino exchange pleasantries as Al Nassr beat Ah Ahli
Mané had assisted Ronaldo on the goal in the 42nd minute, but the VAR ruled it out.
Then in the second half, Firmino scored a simple tap-in, but it was also disallowed, meaning Ronaldo’s subsequent penalty was the only goal of the match.
They also met earlier in the season, when Al-Nassr won 4-3 in a dramatic home match.
While raking in money with two of Saudi Arabia’s top clubs, Mane and Firmino have not found it all easy.
Brazilian ace Firmino, 32, went 16 games without scoring and was even benched before the winter break.
He has six goals and four assists in 23 games, but that is a far cry from his most fruitful season at Anfield, where he scored 27 goals and 17 assists in 2017/18.
Mane, 31, is doing a little better.
He has found the net 13 times and provided seven assists to his teammates, connecting very well with Ronaldo.
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Other players such as Karim Benzema and Jordan Henderson before leaving for Ajax have had difficulties adapting to the conditions in Saudi Arabia.
On the other hand, some have prospered. Players like Odion Ighalo and Fashion Sakala have comfortably surpassed Benzema, Mane and Firmino, leading the ranks of lower-status teams.
Ronaldo has scored 50 goals for Al-Nassr since joining in January 2022 and leads the league’s scoring charts with 23 this season.