Talisca defends striker… and puts Al Nassr’s struggles down to a ‘real mistake’

Former Al-Nassr forward Talisca has said he “knows where the real mistake is” after the club fell nine points behind Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Ittihad with their first ever defeat to Al-Orobah on Friday.

Despite having five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and £65 million new signing Jhon Duran in attack, Stefano Pioli’s side suffered a second loss in three league games as ex-Burnley and Charlton midfielder Johann Gudmundsson scored the winner for the team who finished second in last season’s second tier.

“[Duran] is a great player and will do a lot for this club,” said Talisca, who left the club for Fenerbahce on January 29, responding to a list of the former Aston Villa striker’s stats from the game published by the heavily-followed ByanNassr account on X.

He is a great player and will do a lot for this club. 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, lol

— Andersontalisca (@talisca_aa) February 28, 2025

And on top of that, you want to do to Doran what they did to me, to benefit others.”

— Andersontalisca (@talisca_aa) February 28, 2025

“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.”

Al Nassr: Talisca stats

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

The 31-year-old netted 75 times in 97 games across those competitions during almost four years at the club, but was left out of five consecutive matchday squads by Pioli – appointed in September – before leaving for the Turkish Super Lig.

He has scored one goal in four Super Lig matches and three in two Turkish Cup games for Jose Mourinho’s team, as well as making two substitute appearances in the Europa League.

Al Orobah vs Al Nassr: Pioli ‘paradox’

“Our team was good and played well,” said Pioli (via AlRiyadiyah), who won the Italian title with Milan in 2022 but was sacked by the Rossoneri in May after more than four years in charge.

“Our performance on the field was good, and this is a difficult paradox: for your team to be good and lose. We had many attacks and did not score from them, but Al-Orobah had two opportunities and took advantage of them well.”

Pioli reportedly said the cold weather at Sakaka’s Al-Jouf University Stadium had given his squad “positive energy” but suggested his players had only had two rest days before their second defeat in three league games.

Al-Nassr are next in action when they visit Iranian opponents Esteghlal in the first leg of the AFC Champions League round of 16 on Monday (4pm).