Al-Nassr: a player sidelined until the end of the season!

Tensions have reached a breaking point between Aymeric Laporte and his coach Stefano Pioli. The Spanish defender has been officially dropped from Al-Nassr’s first-team squad until the end of the season, according to multiple Saudi media reports.

Everything reportedly unraveled during a tense training session on Tuesday night. Laporte is said to have refused to follow an instruction from Pioli, which infuriated the Italian manager. In response, Pioli decided to drop the former Manchester City player for the club's final three fixtures of the season.

Laporte’s departure now looks inevitable!

Since returning from injury, relations between Laporte and Pioli had already soured. This latest incident confirms a complete breakdown between the two. A summer exit for the defender now appears all but certain.

Olympique de Marseille are reportedly in the running to sign him, and an amicable agreement to terminate his contract—which runs until 2026—is being considered.

If this move materializes, Laporte would leave the Saudi club where he played alongside stars like Sadio Mané and Cristiano Ronaldo. The end of a turbulent spell seems imminent.

Amine Jomni |

Editorfr

African football writer and sports journalist covering football news, stories and insights while sharing his expertise with fans across the continent.