Darwin Núnez delivered the perfect response to his Al-Hilal snub, firing in a brace before sealing it with an icy celebration clearly aimed in their direction.
Spare a thought for Darwin Nunez. After three years at Anfield, Liverpool decided to recoup some of the £65 million spent on the enigmatic striker. They did this by selling the Uruguayan to Saudi side Al-Hilal last summer.
In what was supposed to be a fresh start for a striker looking to shrug off his reputation as one of Europe’s most wasteful strikers, things have not gone to plan since Darwin Nunez left Liverpool. In fact, his career did not have the expected turnaround.
Despite his £46 million summer switch, Nunez was cruelly axed from Al-Hilal’s Saudi Pro League squad. This happened following the arrival of veteran superstar Karim Benzema.
That’s because Saudi rules dictate that clubs are only allowed to register eight foreign players born before 2003 in their 25-man squads.
These rules left Nunez as the ultimate victim of registration rules. And it left Darwin Nunez in an unusual position for the current season.
However, the one silver lining for Nunez is that he is still allowed to play in the AFC Champions League.
As Al-Hilal faced off against Al-Wahda in the competition, the 26-year-old took the opportunity to send a clear message to Darwin Nunez’s club hierarchy.
Captain Chaos sends ‘icy’ message to Al-Hilal owners
After a promising start to their AFC clash, Nunez headed Al-Hilal in front with a delightful header inside 20 minutes. For fans of Darwin Nunez, this was an excellent demonstration of his talent.
The Uruguayan then saved his side again, netting a 77th-minute winner to secure a 2-1 victory on matchday eight. On a night when the 26-year-old proved just what he’s capable of, he shined.
But it was what Nunez did after his second goal that caught the eye.
After slotting home his second of the night, the Uruguayan took the opportunity to send a message to the Al-Hilal owner. The celebration was classic Darwin Nunez style.
Instead of celebrating wildly, Nunez simply stared in the direction of the owner’s press box before delivering an eerie smile.
In other words, it was exactly what you’d expect from the man nicknamed Captain Chaos by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher during his time at Anfield. This moment just added to the legend of Darwin Nunez.
How is Nunez doing at Al-Hilal?
Despite letting his feet do the talking in an impressive performance, Nunez has picked up from where he left off at Anfield exciting and frustrating.
As a result, the fans continue to follow Darwin Nunez’s progress at Al-Hilal closely.
The 26-year-old’s brace takes Nunez to just nine goals in 24 appearances for Al-Hilal this season.
It’s the kind of form that has seen Nunez linked with a move back to South America. Brazilian side Flamengo is also linked with the Uruguayan. In addition, Darwin Nunez’s transfer rumours are heating up.
Elsewhere, European club Fenerbache have also been touted as a potential suitor for his signature.
Considering his omission from the Saudi Pro League squad, don’t be surprised to see the former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez at a new club in the near future.
