Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of Al-Nassr’s squad for their AFC Champions League Two trip to Istiklol in Tajikistan, signaling that the 40-year-old Portuguese superstar is unlikely to play a major role in Asia’s second-tier continental competition this season.
Al-Nassr fielded a rotated side for the clash, resting stars including Sadio Mane and Inigo Martinez, with Ronaldo also absent. Despite the changes, Joao Felix led the charge, scoring a penalty in the 12th minute. Mohamed Simakan doubled the lead just before halftime, giving Al-Nassr a comfortable 2-0 advantage.
In the second half, Mane and Ayman Yahya added further goals, with Mane finishing Felix’s assist in the 84th minute and Yahya sealing a 4-0 win in stoppage time.
Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus explained the decision to rest Ronaldo:
“He’s currently 40 years old, and we fear he might suffer injuries, that’s why I decided to exclude him. For matches outside Saudi Arabia, we decided to rest Ronaldo to preserve his fitness for upcoming matches.”
Despite Al-Nassr’s flawless group-stage record in AFC Champions League Two, Ronaldo has yet to feature in a single match. His absence has allowed other stars to shine, especially Felix.
After mixed spells in Europe with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, and AC Milan, Joao Felix has found a resurgence at Al-Nassr. The 26-year-old has scored 14 goals in 15 games, even outpacing Ronaldo across all competitions in recent months. Felix’s performances suggest he has become the new face of Al-Nassr’s attack, proving that the club can thrive even without their legendary forward.
Contact: sales@ventolitemarketing.com
Barcelona are reportedly gearing up for a massive summer transfer window, with the Catalan giants…
A Serie A clash between Napoli and Atalanta took a shocking turn off the pitch…
Italian cricket is facing a storm just days after its historic debut at the T20…
Football met fashion in spectacular style as Eberechi Eze swapped the North London Derby spotlight…
Marcus Rashford’s revival story in Spain looks set for a fairytale ending. After months of…
Football has once again been pulled into the global conversation on racism — and this…