Ronaldo rested for Al-Nassr's Uzbekistan trip amid growing security concerns

Cristiano Ronaldo will not play in Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League match against Pakhtakor in Uzbekistan, according to the club’s coach Ange Postecoglou. The Portuguese star, who recently scored a hat-trick in a Saudi Pro League game, was omitted from the roster due to the pressure of matches and extensive travel. Al-Nassr, seeking their first Asian title, currently sits ninth in their group, the lowest-ranked of the Saudi league’s five representatives in the 32-team tournament.

The continental competition is divided into two groups of 16, with the top eight from each advancing to the knockout stage. Postecoglou noted that despite a slow start and readiness issues, the team has now reached an excellent stage. Al-Nassr’s previous home game was delayed by an hour due to missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The Asian Football Confederation postponed a match in Riyadh after Al-Wasl declined to travel to Saudi Arabia. Al-Ahli, the past two-time Asian champions, is third in their group ahead of a trip to Qatar. Concerns over the security situation in Saudi Arabia persist, with Japan Football Association president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto expressing doubts about the upcoming Asian Cup, scheduled to begin in Saudi Arabia on January 7.