Ronaldo will not come to Tashkent: Al-Nassr star to miss the match against Pakhtakor

Unexpected news has spread for football fans ahead of the marquee clash between Pakhtakor and Al-Nassr in Tashkent as part of the AFC Elite Champions League. The famous Saudi Arabian star Cristiano Ronaldo will miss the match in Uzbekistan.

According to the Saudi publication "Addiriyah", head coach Ange Postecoglou has decided not to include the Portuguese striker in the matchday squad ahead of the trip to Tashkent.

Reason for the decision: Tight schedule and workload management

Although no official medical reason has been disclosed for the Portuguese star's exclusion from the squad, experts explain it with the following factors:

• Dense match schedule: Al-Nassr is currently playing on a tight schedule in the Saudi Pro League and continental tournaments. The coaching staff has taken this step to give their key leaders rest and properly distribute their energy;

• Tough race in the local championship: The Riyadh club is in a title race in the domestic league, and it was deemed important to protect Ronaldo from a long flight and unnecessary fatigue ahead of upcoming crucial matches.

Al-Nassr's performance in the Saudi championship

The Riyadh giants are performing very confidently in the domestic league:

• 9 wins in 11 matches: Ange Postecoglou's charges have celebrated victory in 9 out of 11 rounds played since the beginning of the season;

• Points dropped: Throughout the season, the team has only lost to Al-Ittihad and recorded a draw against Al-Khaleej in another round;

• League table position: The team is currently in 2nd place with 28 points. League leaders Al-Qadsiah also have the same number of points, and the title race has reached a heated stage.

Although football fans in Tashkent were eagerly awaiting the appearance of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo at the Pakhtakor central stadium, the Saudi club is preparing to put up a serious fight in the capital of Uzbekistan with the rest of its stars.