Overview
- Karim Benzema scored in the 15th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo assisted Angelo for the equaliser, and Houssem Aouar struck in first-half stoppage time for the winner.
- Ahmed Al Julaydan received a straight red early in the second half, yet 10-man Al-Ittihad held on to eliminate the hosts in the round of 16.
- Ronaldo posted, “We stand tall, learn, and move forward together,” while Benzema celebrated with, “Big win tonight… When we talk, we do.”
- Jorge Jesus defended Ronaldo after the defeat, saying tiredness and exhaustion — not tactics or the forward’s display — decided the match.
- The result renewed focus on Ronaldo’s Saudi trophy drought, widely reported as 13 official tournaments without a title since joining Al-Nassr.