Ronaldo Rested by Al Nassr for Asian Champions League Match in Uzbekistan
Cristiano Ronaldo has been rested by Al Nassr coach Ange Postecoglou for the AFC Champions League match against Pakhtakor Tashkent amid mounting security concerns in Saudi Arabia that also threaten the upcoming Asian Cup.
Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of the squad for the upcoming AFC Champions League away match against Pakhtakor Tashkent in Uzbekistan. The 41-year-old Portuguese star, who scored a hat-trick last week to bring his career tally to 985 goals, was rested by manager Ange Postecoglou. The decision comes amid growing security concerns in Saudi Arabia that have already forced match postponements in the tournament and cast doubts over the upcoming Asian Cup scheduled to be held in the kingdom in January.
Speaking at a press conference in Uzbekistan, Postecoglou clarified that Ronaldo's absence stems from professional and physical considerations rather than direct security concerns, though reports in Saudi Arabia suggest behind-the-scenes factors also played a role. "I decided to rest Cristiano Ronaldo, Kingsley Coman, and Mohamed Simakan, taking into consideration the fixture congestion and the amount of travel," the Australian manager explained.
Al Nassr, which has never won the AFC Champions League, had a disappointing start to the campaign and currently sits in ninth place in the West Region, the lowest among the five Saudi representatives in the tournament. The competition features 32 teams divided into East and West zones, with the top eight teams from each zone advancing to the knockout stage.
"Despite the tough start, the preparation conditions, and the fact that we were not fully ready at the beginning of the season, we have now reached an excellent stage," added Postecoglou, who hopes to see his side improve its standing even without its biggest star.
Ronaldo effectively missed Al Nassr's previous match in the competition as well, after Al Wasl of the United Arab Emirates refused to travel to Riyadh last week, forcing the Asian Football Confederation to postpone the fixture. Earlier, on October 12, an Al Nassr home match was delayed by an hour following reports of missile attacks by the Houthis.
The security situation in Saudi Arabia is now raising broader concerns, particularly given that the country is scheduled to host the Asian Cup starting January 7. Although preparations continue and the match schedule and venues have already been set, the Asian Football Confederation has not entirely ruled out the possibility of postponing the tournament.
Japan Football Association President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto expressed doubts last month regarding the tournament taking place on schedule. "Based on what I learned from the news, the situation is still not safe, and therefore at this stage I do not think it will be easy to hold the Asian Cup there as planned," he said during an AFC congress.
AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also acknowledged that a significant change in plans might be necessary. "We can wait until the end of November," he said. "Things can change very quickly in the region, for better or for worse, and we need to see what happens. If we need to make a decision, we will make it. We can also postpone the tournament by a year, to 2028, if necessary."
For Ronaldo, the rest comes just as he approaches one of the greatest milestones of his career. His recent hat-trick left him just 15 goals shy of the 1,000-goal mark, but at least for the upcoming Asian fixture, the chase for the historic milestone will have to wait.
