Talisca Backs Jhon Duran and Blames Al Nassr’s Struggles on a ‘Real Mistake’

• Talisca has defended Jhon Duran, insisting the young striker is not to blame for the Al-Nassr’s struggles
• He criticised the club for always looking for scapegoats instead of addressing the real issues behind their poor form
• Talisca urged fans to recognise the true problem while warning against unfairly targeting Duran, just as he was in the past

Former Al-Nassr striker Talisca has addressed the team’s setback against Al-Orobah, a loss that widened the gap to nine points behind league leaders Al-Ittihad.

Even with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and £65 million signing Jhon Duran leading the attack, Stefano Pioli’s squad endured their second defeat in three league matches.

Al-Nassr suffer defeat

Ronaldo marked his 100th appearance for Al Nassr, but the milestone ended in disappointment as his side suffered a 2-1 defeat to Al Orobah on Friday night.

Despite his best efforts, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star couldn’t find the net, leaving his team frustrated.

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Omar Al Somah opened the scoring for the hosts before Nawaf Boushal equalised for Al Nassr.

However, repeated missed chances proved costly, as Johan Gudmundsson netted the winner in the 65th minute.

Talisca defends Duran

After the match, a post on X (formerly Twitter) appeared to highlight Duran’s performance, suggesting the Colombian had a poor game.

Talisca, unhappy with the criticism, quickly came to Duran’s defense, insisting the striker was not to blame for Al Nassr’s struggles.

“[Duran] is a great player and will do a lot for this club,” said Talisca, who left Al Nassr for Fenerbahce on January 29, responding to the widely-followed ByanNassr account on X.

“The problem is that you always want to find someone to blame for the defeats, but you don’t see where the real mistake lies. Stop acting like this all the time. You know where the mistake is—you’re just afraid to say it. On top of that, you want to do to Duran what they did to me, to benefit others.”

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Talisca’s legacy at Al Nassr

The Brazilian playmaker scored eight goals in 15 appearances for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League and AFC Champions League this season.

Across nearly four years at the club, he netted 75 times in 97 games before being sidelined by Pioli for five consecutive matches before his departure.

Since joining Fenerbahce, the 31-year-old has scored one goal in four Super Lig matches, added three goals in two Turkish Cup games, and featured as a substitute in the Europa League.

This season, Ronaldo has been in stellar form, netting 25 goals across all competitions, including 17 in the Saudi Pro League.

The Portuguese star had been building a promising partnership with former Aston Villa striker Duran, who arrived in January.

Duran has already made an impact, scoring four goals in as many league appearances. However, like Ronaldo, he struggled to find the back of the net against Al Orobah.

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What's next for Al Nassr?

Al Nassr now sits third in the Saudi Pro League, trailing Al Hilal and Al Ittihad in the standings.

Two defeats in their last three matches have left them nine points behind Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad.

Their next challenge comes on Monday when they face Iranian side Esteghlal in the first leg of the AFC Champions League round of 16.

Why Jhon Duran was shown red card

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a clip of Jhon Duran being sent off while playing for his new club Al Nassr has gone viral, leaving fans in disbelief.

In one of the most unexpected transfers of the winter window, the former Aston Villa striker made a high-profile move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr last month.

Source: YEN.com.gh