Louis Castro, the head coach of Saudi club Al-Nassr, has expressed his apology to the fans following his controversial remarks about the team’s performance. After Al-Nassr’s loss to Al-Raed in the Saudi Pro League, Castro’s statement sparked debates in the media.
Castro had remarked, Since when has Al-Nassr won a championship before winning the Arab championship? Don’t think that Al-Nassr wins a championship every year. He further added, What did the coaches before me do? They were looking for excuses… We won the Arab championship this season, but there have been many years when Al-Nassr did not win any championships.”
However, Castro clarified that there was a misunderstanding regarding his recent statements. In a press conference before the match against Al-Ain of the UAE, he expressed gratitude to the Al-Nassr fans for their continuous support, stating, “My message to the Al-Nassr fans is a big thank you for what they do for us in the stands. They have always been with us.”
He continued, As I speak to the fans, I want to say that in the last press conference, there was a misunderstanding of my words, and I apologize for that. What attracted me to change my team midway through the season in Brazil, while they were leading the league, was the opportunity and challenge to be part of Al-Nassr’s project to win and compete in all tournaments.
Castro, a 61-year-old Portuguese coach, assured, I don’t forget that we opened the season with a championship win, and I promise you that with our players, we will give you more beautiful moments, and you will be happy with us. Castro took charge of Al-Nassr in July 2023 and led them to victory in the previous edition of the Arab championship.
