Sadio Mane paid homage to Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘SIUUUU’ celebration during Al Nassr’s commanding 3-1 victory over Moroccan side Raja Casablanca.
Al Nassr, competing in the Saudi Pro League, secured their spot in the Arab Club Champions Cup semi-finals with an impressive performance.
Goals from Ronaldo, Sultan Al-Ghannam, and Seko Fofana propelled them to a resounding 3-1 win against the reigning champions.
Ronaldo initiated the scoring for Luis Castro’s team with a powerful shot that found the bottom corner of the net, showcasing his prowess even with his so-called ‘weaker’ foot.
Moments later, the five-time Ballon d’Or recipient treated the enthusiastic crowd at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium to his signature ‘SIUUUU’ celebration, which was met with fervent cheers from the stands.
While Ronaldo’s celebration garnered considerable attention, what might have gone unnoticed to many was Sadio Mane’s decision to replicate the iconic gesture.
As depicted in the footage below, Ronaldo himself appeared to appreciate Mane’s tribute to his celebration.
Mane hitting the SIUUUU with Ronaldo, love it 😭😭😭❤️
— Orlando 🎈 (@starboyorlando_) August 6, 2023
Mane recently became the latest in a long list of big-name players to move to Saudi Arabia; just a year after he left Liverpool to join Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Since his departure from the German outfit, meanwhile, Mane’s PR manager has made some huge claims.
Speaking toAfter Foot RMC, Bacary Cisse alleged: “Sadio’s salary bothered the Germans. They didn’t understand how an African joins the club and becomes the top earner ahead of everyone, so they wanted to get rid of him.”
Bayern have since denied the claims. In response to Cisse’s interview, they said in a statement: “We have terminated our contract with Sadio Mane by mutual agreement.
“Accusations of racism, as formulated by Sadio’s entourage, are and have been baseless from the start. Our coach Thomas Tuchel never told Sadio he couldn’t use him anymore.
“FC Bayern appreciated Sadio Mané as a man and as a player. Unfortunately, our common objectives, which we had set ourselves before his signature, have not been achieved.
“We wish Sadio all the best and success at his new club.”
In addition to Sadio Mane’s impactful debut in Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo has also experienced a remarkable month.
Ronaldo once again demonstrated his clutch performance abilities last week by delivering a crucial goal against Egyptian side Zamalek in the Arab Club Champions Cup.
Al Nassr found themselves trailing 1-0 after Ahmed Sayed successfully converted a penalty in the 53rd minute.
As the final Group C fixture was approaching its conclusion, and with just three minutes of regular time remaining on Sadio Mane’s debut, team captain Ronaldo emerged as the savior.
With Al Nassr facing elimination from the competition, a well-placed cross was delivered from the left flank by Ghislain Konan, finding its target at the far post.
Ronaldo promptly capitalized on the opportunity, heading the ball into the net and securing the all-important equalizer. This vital intervention allowed Al Nassr to advance in the competition despite their challenging circumstances.
THE SAVIOUR. pic.twitter.com/uC8F77oOAL
GOAL NUMBER 840 FOR THE GREATEST CRISTIANO RONALDO 🐐
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) August 3, 2023
He grabbed the ball and darted back to the halfway line after scoring the 840th goal of his career.