Why didn't Cristiano Ronaldo come to Tashkent? Al-Nassr head coach explains the reason

1 November 2026, 22:22·80·Sport

Tashkent is preparing to host another big football night as part of the 4th round of the AFC Champions League Elite. Before the match against the star-studded Saudi Arabian team Al-Nassr, head coach Ange Postecoglou attended a press conference and shared his thoughts on important issues.

The experienced Australian specialist spoke openly about the complexity of the match against Tashkent's Pakhtakor, the reason for Cristiano Ronaldo's absence in Tashkent, and his team's plans. The match will kick off tomorrow, November 2 at 18:45, at the Pakhtakor Central Stadium.

Pakhtakor's threat and analysis against Saudi clubs

Ange Postecoglou emphasized that he has studied the opponent thoroughly and focused on the dangerous aspects of the "Lions":

Aggression in attack: Pakhtakor's attacking potential was highly rated. They are capable of putting pressure on any opponent on their home turf;
Draws with Saudi giants: The fact that the Uzbek club showed uncompromising play and earned points against the previous two Saudi teams has been taken into account by the Al-Nassr staff;
Emphasis on their own game: No matter how much the opponent is analyzed, Postecoglou noted that his players will remain loyal to their own style and philosophy.

Why didn't Ronaldo come? Rotation and an important match in the domestic league

The coach provided a detailed explanation regarding the main issue that interests millions of Uzbek fans — the absence of global star Cristiano Ronaldo from the squad:

Tight schedule and rotation: While the team has a sufficient number of players, the decision to rest Ronaldo and several other key performers was made due to the extremely tight schedule;
Decisive league match: The fact that the team has a very important clash in the Saudi Pro League on Friday also prompted this decision;
Speed and stability: It was noted that the team's performance has been improving after the FIFA international break, and although there were difficulties related to humidity and adaptation at the beginning of the season, systematic stability is currently being achieved.