Ivan Toney dealt a major blow to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Pro League title push as Al-Ahli took points off Al-Nassr in a result that dented the league leaders’ momentum.
Toney was again central to the story, showing the same sharp edge that has made him one of the standout British players abroad. His contribution proved decisive as Al-Ahli stood firm and made Al-Nassr pay, leaving Ronaldo and his team with ground to make up in the race.
Elsewhere, Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid finally clicked into top gear, with the England midfielder playing his part as Madrid looked far more like themselves. After a run of performances that had not always matched their standards, they delivered a display with more rhythm, more control and clearer threat in key moments.
In Spain, Marcus Rashford’s night in Barcelona took a different turn. Rashford went “offline” during Barcelona’s derby win, struggling to have the influence expected as the hosts secured the result and kept their campaign moving in the right direction.
It was a weekend that underlined the mixed fortunes of British players across Europe and beyond — with Toney landing the biggest headline by putting real pressure on Ronaldo’s title hopes in Saudi Arabia.
