Cristiano Ronaldo Rested by Al Nassr as Key Players Sit Out Crucial AFC Champions League Fixtures

Al Nassr will be without their star forward Cristiano Ronaldo for their upcoming AFC Champions League match against Pakhtakor on Monday. The Portuguese striker has been rested for the trip to Uzbekistan. Ronaldo, aged 41, was notably absent when the Al Nassr squad arrived in Tashkent on Saturday. It has since been confirmed that he, along with Kingsley Coman and Mohamed Simakan, were left behind by manager Ange Postecoglou. The Australian coach has frequently expressed concerns this season regarding his players' workload and has opted to preserve the fitness of these three important individuals. Joao Felix and Sadio Mane have traveled to Uzbekistan and are expected to lead the attack in Ronaldo's absence. The Al Nassr captain recently reached 985 career goals with a hat-trick in their 5-3 victory over Al Kholood last Thursday. He will be well-rested by the time the reigning champions resume their Saudi Pro League campaign this Thursday against Al Hazem.

Al Nassr suffered a significant 4-0 defeat to Al Ain in their opening AFC Champions League Elite group match but managed to secure a 3-1 win against another Uzbekistan Super League side, Neftchi Fergana, on matchday two. Their most recent ACL fixture was postponed; Dubai club Al Wasl was unable to travel to Riyadh last week due to regional flight disruptions.

Pakhtakor has accumulated only one point from their initial three AFC matches and will be looking to striker Aymen Hussein to find his scoring form, having not scored in continental competition since his summer transfer. Meanwhile, Al Ain is heading to Jeddah. So far, UAE clubs have demonstrated strong performances in Asian competitions, with both Al Ain and Shabab Al Ahli maintaining perfect records after winning all three of their matches. Al Ain, currently leading the table with 10 goals scored, will put their impressive streak on the line when they face Al Ittihad in Jeddah on Monday.

The Garden City club experienced a challenging week in domestic competitions, having their 38-match unbeaten streak in the UAE Pro League ended by Shabab Al Ahli, followed by a grueling 3-2 extra-time loss to the same opponent in the Round of 16 of the President's Cup. They managed to get back on track with a narrow 2-1 victory over Iranian side Tractor last Monday. Manager Vladimir Ivic anticipates more difficult encounters as they approach the halfway point of the ACL's league phase. "We will be playing against powerful football teams that possess very good, seasoned players, but we are ready to take on the challenge," Ivic stated ahead of the trip to Jeddah. "We managed to claim three victories and we still have five upcoming matches, so we will be dealing with every match separately. The AFC Champions League Elite and the local Adnoc Pro League are among the top priorities for us. We represent one of the biggest football teams in the United Arab Emirates, and we have to be ready for every competition and deliver our utmost performance for the sake of our club and its fans." Al Ain will have to compete without key attacker Soufiane Rahimi, who sustained a hamstring injury during their President's Cup exit.

Al Hilal awaits Shabab Al Ahli. In other news, Shabab Al Ahli faces a significant test of their capabilities when they travel to face Saudi Pro League leaders Al Hilal on Tuesday. The Dubai-based team has been in excellent form under their Brazilian coach, Andre Jardine, securing victories against Tractor, Al Ittihad, and Esteghlal. "When you look at our opponents, you immediately realize the scale of the competition," Jardine commented on his team's chances in the ACL. "It is a Champions League of the highest level. Having names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema and so many other great players along the way makes the challenge even more valuable. For us, being among these teams is a source of great pride and shows the growth and strength that the club has been building in recent times." Al Hilal prepared for the match with a 2-0 win over Al Fateh in the SPL on Saturday night. Ollie Watkins continued his scoring streak by netting the opening goal after 12 minutes, and Ruben Neves secured the points with a late penalty. Manager Simone Inzaghi did not comment after the game due to a throat issue, but his assistant Massimiliano Farris expressed concern about player fatigue ahead of the Riyadh match. Salem Al Dawsari missed Saturday's win, while Gabriel Martinelli remains sidelined with a muscle injury. "It is natural for some fatigue to appear as a result of travel and the close scheduling of matches, especially since we played an Asian match a few days ago, while [Al Fateh] had eight days of rest," said Farris. "We are still at the top of the league, and we must double our efforts during the coming period to deliver better levels."