Ronaldo read Al-Ittihad tactical note, says Danilo Pereira

Danilo Pereira has confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo read a tactical note handed to him during Al-Ittihad’s 2-1 win over Al-Nassr, but said there was no problem with the incident.

The unusual exchange took place in last Saturday’s Roshn Saudi League meeting, when Ronaldo approached Pereira and stood behind the Al-Ittihad midfielder as he looked at a sheet of paper supplied by the club’s coaching staff.

The note contained instructions for tactical changes, and Ronaldo’s attempt to read it attracted considerable attention after the match. It also became the subject of widespread mockery on social media, particularly after Al-Nassr were beaten.

Pereira was asked about the incident for the first time after Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Fayha by the same 2-1 scoreline on Tuesday in the sixth round of the competition.

Speaking to Al-Riyadiya about the victory, the Portugal international said: “It was not an easy match at all. We had only two days to recover after the Al-Nassr game, but we came here to win the match.”

He was then asked about Ronaldo reading the document during the previous game.

“He was behind me and did read what was written on the paper, but there is no problem. It was only about tactics,” Pereira said.

The episode occurred during the fifth round match between the two Saudi clubs. Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr, moved close to Pereira while the Al-Ittihad player examined the instructions from his coaching staff.

Although the moment was treated humorously afterwards, Pereira played down any suggestion that it had caused concern. His comments indicate that the document contained tactical observations rather than information he considered particularly sensitive.

Al-Ittihad’s win over Al-Fayha extended their winning run and moved them into third place in the Roshn Saudi League standings. They now have 14 points, one behind leaders Al-Hilal and second-placed Al-Qadsiah.

The result also followed a demanding period for the club, with Pereira highlighting that Al-Ittihad had only two days to recover from the victory over Al-Nassr before facing Al-Fayha.

Ronaldo’s presence behind Pereira during the earlier match quickly became one of the most discussed moments from the fixture. However, the Al-Ittihad midfielder’s response was straightforward: the Al-Nassr forward had seen what was written, but the note was simply concerned with tactical instructions.