Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Al-Nassr’s Asian Champions League Elite fixture against Uzbek side Pakhtakor, after Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou excluded him from the squad traveling to Tashkent.
According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah, the Al-Nassr delegation departed on Saturday via a private jet from Al-Ahsa International Airport, preparing for the match scheduled for Monday, November 2, as part of Matchday 4 in the league phase.
The exclusion was not limited to the Portuguese captain, as French duo Mohamed Simakan and Kingsley Coman were also left out, leaving Al-Nassr to contest the continental clash without three of their key starters.
Conversely, Postecoglou named five young players to the traveling party: Abdulrahman Sufyani, Abdulhadi Al-Alwan, Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi, Rakan Al-Ghamdi, and Awad Aman.
Ronaldo’s absence comes shortly after his stellar performance in Al-Nassr’s 5-3 Saudi Pro League victory over Al-Kholood—where the 41-year-old netted a hat-trick while his compatriot João Félix provided four assists. The decision aims to give him physical rest, avoid unnecessary strain, and circumvent potential safety and logistical concerns often surrounding his international travels.
Al-Nassr currently sits ninth in the Western Region standings with three points from two matches (one win and one defeat), with a postponed fixture against UAE’s Al-Wasl from the previous round still in hand.
The Saudi side aims to improve its standing in the qualification race, as the top eight teams from each region advance to the knockout stages, adding extra weight to the Pakhtakor clash to make up for a shaky start.
The delegation is scheduled to fly back directly from Tashkent to Al-Qassim following the match, turning their focus toward facing Al-Hazem on Friday, November 6, in the Saudi Pro League.
