New Fiorentina head coach, Stefano Pioli, has opened up about his experience working with Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at Al-Nassr.
Having led AC Milan to a Scudetto, Pioli moved to Fiorentina this summer after leaving the Saudi club. In an interview with Fiorentina’s official website, he praised the Portuguese superstar, saying coaching him was a straightforward task.
“Only by working with him do you get a sense of how immense he is, a force that changes everything around him. Coaching him is easy; you never have to remind him of anything,” Pioli remarked.
He also highlighted Ronaldo’s discipline and professionalism, noting: “At 40, he has to manage himself; he knows exactly what he can and can’t do. I saw his obsession in (Miroslav) Klose at Lazio and in (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic at Milan.
“He loves arriving at the pitch at 7 a.m. and leaving at 6 p.m. Even a family outing has to be calculated based on rest hours or nutrition. That’s why only a few become champions.”