AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr face Champions League ‘foreigner’ rule dilemma
With limits placed on teams appearing in the continental competition, the Saudi Arabia spending spree means tough choices are to be made.
This summer’s Saudi Arabian transfer business (plus a certain January move that got the richest ever ball rolling) has seen some interesting decisions emerge, including for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. The Riyadh team is scheduled to play the playoff match for entry into the Asian Champions League (AFC) against Dubai’s Shabab Al Ahli on Tuesday 22 August, a game that will determine their qualification for the upcoming competition proper.
But Al Nassr is not only pitted against the UAE team but has also encountered the regulations set forth by the AFC.
How many foreign players can be included in AFC Champions League squads?
According to the regulations, the rule allows for only five players from outside the Asian continent, plus one player from an AFC member country.
This allows for a maximum of six foreign-born players for Al Nassr, although the team currently has, and is allowed to have, many more. Article 27.1 states that “each Participating Club may only select up to six (6) foreign Participating Players in the Player Selection List. In case more than five (5) foreign Participating Players are selected in the Player Selection List, then at least one (1) of these foreign Participating Players must hold the nationality of a Member Association.”
Which Al Nassr players are selected for AFC Champions League?
Faced with this situation, the decision rests with coach Luís Castro of who to pick and who to leave out. The Portuguese coach has already made this decision, which has stirred up controversy within the circles of Al Nassr.
As reported by Saudi media, the coach has selected Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, Seko Fofana, Marcelo Brozovic and Alex Telles as the five chosen ones for the playoffs, leaving Talisca out of the Champions League playoff list. The Brazilian, a significant presence in the team and a mainstay for Ronaldo since his arrival in the Saudi Pro League, has not taken the decision well.
What next for Talisca?
Talisca’s exclusion from the Champions League list is said to have created a division within the Riyadh club. The midfielder is highly regarded by both his teammates and the fans, and has been with the team since 2021, prior to Cristiano’s arrival and the influx of European-based stars.
The decision to leave him out have increased suggestions that he could be on his way out of Al Nassr. His future remains uncertain, and there’s even the possibility of a return to Europe, with Besiktas having shown interest in the 29-year-old player for several months.
Saudi teams facing Champions League decisions
Similarly, teams like Al Hilal, featuring Neymar, Malcom, Milinkovic-Savic, Neves, and Koulibaly, as well as Al Ittihad, with Benzema, Kanté, and Fabinho, will face the same situation in the group stage. Difficult choices lie ahead, as some prominent players will have to be omitted from the Champions League squad.
As you may imagine, the powers that be are looking to address this challenge for these ultra-rich entities, and the issue will be revisited with the introduction of the super-Champions League in Asia in the 2024-25 season. The aim is to lift this restriction and tailor it to the peculiarities of each local competition.