Footage shows Sadio Mane winding up Roberto Firmino after Al Nassr goal | OneFootball

Highlights

Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were reunited on Friday night as the former Liverpool duo were on opposing sides during the clash between Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League. It turned out to be a thrilling encounter between the teams occupying fifth and sixth positions as the final score saw Al-Nassr run out 4-3 winners in the end.

The match kicked-off in controversial fashion as Cristiano Ronaldo - who is enjoying a brilliant start to the campaign - scored a very unusual goal as the opposing goalkeeper, Eduoard Mendy, was surrounded by smoke from a flare that must have had an impact on his vision as the Portuguese forward broke free and rifled an effort into the bottom corner.

This marked the 38-year-old's eighth goal of the league season in only six appearances at this point, but he was not done for the evening either. Anderson Talisca put his side two goals in front, before former AC Milan and Barcelona midfielder, Franck Kessié, pulled one back for the visitors. With the game looking to be heading into half-time at 2-1, Talisca struck once more, putting Al-Nassr further in the driving seat. Two second-half goals - including a Riyad Mahrez penalty - were not enough for Al-Ahli as Ronaldo found the back of the net once more to seal a 4-3 win for the hosts.

Sadio Mane winds up Roberto Firmino after Al Nassr goal

One of the biggest talking points, alongside the opening goal, came after Talisca had scored to make it 3-1 at the end of the first half. While the Brazilian forward was in the corner celebrating, he was joined by his teammates, with Mane taking a slight de-tour on the way.

The Senegalese forward was making his way past his former teammate, Firmino, when he decided to jump on the back of the Brazilian. This is a sight that Liverpool fans would have been used to over the years as the pair made up two thirds of one of the best front lines in Premier League history alongside Mohamed Salah.

Firmino did not appear to take this in a light-hearted manner as the 31-year-old looked to see who the culprit was, and then proceeded to walk in the opposite direction after seeing it was Mane. The pair may be friends off the pitch, but it is very unusual to see opposing players celebrating together, perhaps making his decision to walk away, the right one. You can watch the full clip for yourself below.

How are Mane and Firmino faring in Saudi Arabia?

Both players moved to the Saudi Pro League in the summer window with Firmino moving directly from Liverpool upon the expiry of his contract at Anfield. Mane spent 12 months in Germany - with Bayern Munich - before linking up with Ronaldo at Al Nassr.

The Senegal international has scored six times and bagged an assist across his seven league games this season so far, while Firmino has registered three goals and an assist from six games. The pair have more than enough quality to be successful in the emerging division, and both are at the advantage of playing for very strong sides.

Mane and Firmino statistics - Saudi Pro League 2023/24