Marcos Leonardo shines in Al Hilal v Al Shabab, ex-Sporting man on alert | OneFootball

Marcos Leonardo once again became crucial for Al Hilal in the match against Al Shabab. The former forward of Benfica scored the only goal for Simone Inzaghi's team (81-0), which is now just one point behind Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr, putting more pressure on the rival, who plays today, November 1st.

Two months after rumors suggested a possible departure from Saudi Arabia, the Brazilian striker seems to be happy again at Al Hilal, and his recent form is living proof of that. Yesterday, Marcos Leonardo scored his eighth goal of the championship, continuing to be the top scorer for the team managed by the Italian.

Still without João Cancelo, who is recovering from an injury, the former number 36 was the only familiar face from the "encarnados" on the field. The home team dominated the match throughout the 90 minutes; however, their efficiency was not the best. Thus, Al Hilal ended up smiling after Marcos Leonardo found the net in the 39th minute, scoring for the third consecutive game.

With this result, the Saudi team reinforces its second place in the standings, totaling 17 points, just one point behind the leader, Al Nassr. With this victory, Marcos Leonardo's team puts more pressure on Cristiano Ronaldo and the former Benfica players Jorge Jesus and João Félix, hours before they face Al Fayha.

Since leaving Benfica, the Brazilian has delivered strong performances in Saudi Arabia. This season, Marcos Leonardo - valued at 18 million euros - has played eight official matches: four in the Saudi League, three in the Asian Champions League, and one in the King's Cup. In the 644 minutes he has been on the pitch, he has scored a total of eight goals.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.