Ronaldo rested as Al-Nassr thrash Pakhtakor 6-2

Al-Nassr triumphed over Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor 6-2 in the AFC Champions League Elite match on Monday, without Cristiano Ronaldo due to security worries surrounding the competition in Saudi Arabia. The 41-year-old was among three star players rested by coach Ange Postecoglou, citing the pressure and travel involved. Pakhtakor's previous fixture in the competition was delayed by an hour following reported missile attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia.

Despite Ronaldo's absence, Al-Nassr delivered a dominant performance, with João Félix scoring twice and Abdullah Al-Hamdan bagging a goal. The victory propelled Al-Nassr to fourth place in the West Region standings with six points, while Pakhtakor stayed on two points.