SAUDI ARABIA
Why isn’t Cristiano Ronaldo playing in Champions League for Al Nassr?
The Portuguese star will not travel to Iraq with Al Nassr for his team’s debut in the Asian Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo will not travel to Iraq for Al Nassr’s first match in the AFC Champions League, which begins on Monday, September 16.
Cristiano misses ACL due to illness
According to a medical report from the club, the Portuguese forward felt unwell in the hours leading up to the trip and was ruled out to allow him to rest ahead of upcoming matches in both the Champions League and the Saudi Pro League.
The Madeira-born star, who made history last week by surpassing the 900-goal mark in his career, has his sights set firmly on the AFC Champions League title. In the previous edition, Ronaldo suffered a major disappointment when Al Nassr was knocked out in the quarterfinals by eventual champions Al Ain, missing out on even a semifinal appearance.
Al Nassr is one of the top contenders for the title this season, alongside fellow Saudi giant Al Hilal. However, Al Hilal will still be without Neymar, who hasn’t been registered for the competition due to a long-term injury. The Brazilian forward is not expected to return until December.