Cristiano Ronaldo Misses Pakhtakor vs. Al Nassr—What Happened?

Cristiano Ronaldo will not take the field in the match between Pakhtakor and Al Nassr, scheduled for today at 2:45 p.m. and counting toward Matchday 4 of the AFC Champions League Elite. The Portuguese star was not included on the roster of players traveling to Uzbekistan, a decision that has caught the attention of fans on the eve of the continental match.

Coach Ange Postecoglou clarified the reasons for the exclusion, explaining at a press conference that he had chosen to give Ronaldo, Kingsley Coman, and Mohamed Simakan a rest. ““I decided to rest Ronaldo, Coman, and Simakan, given the packed schedule and the frequency of travel,” said the Australian coach.

The decision is therefore related to energy management and not to any physical issue affecting the Al Nassr captain. Ronaldo is coming off a standout performance in the Saudi Pro League: in the 5-3 victory over Al Kholood, he scored a hat trick, bringing his career goal total to 985. The Portuguese star will thus have the opportunity to recover ahead of the team’s upcoming matches.

In addition to Ronaldo, Postecoglou will also have to do without Coman and Simakan. Up front, the Portuguese star’s absence should make way for João Félix and Sadio Mané, who will be called upon to lead the attack in the away match in Tashkent.