Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary football star, has been excluded from Al Nassr's lineup for the trip to Uzbekistan in the AFC Champions League. This decision was made by Ange Postecoglou, the team's head coach, and the reason is the team's lineup changes amidst security concerns in the region.
Rest for Ronaldo and Teammates
Ronaldo will not be present in Al Nassr's match against Pakhtakor on Monday. Postecoglou has decided to rest this forward considering Ronaldo's good form and his recent hat-trick in the Saudi Pro League. With these three goals, the Portuguese star has brought his total to 985 and is currently in peak condition.
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However, the head coach of Al Nassr has prioritized the health and well-being of the players as the team faces a tight schedule. Kingsley Coman and Mohammad Simakan have also been excluded from the list of players traveling for this crucial Asian match. Al Nassr is keenly pursuing its first-ever Asian championship and is currently in ninth place in the Western region group.
Security Challenges and Impact on Team Plans
Al Nassr's match schedule has been significantly affected by regional security issues and has faced disruptions. Last week, due to the refusal of the Al Wasl team to travel to Riyadh, their match in the Champions League was postponed, allowing Ronaldo to benefit from an unexpected rest.
Previously, Al Nassr's home game on October 12 was postponed following reports of missile attacks from Yemen. These ongoing tensions have now raised serious doubts about the AFC Asian Cup, which is set to begin on January 7 in Saudi Arabia.
Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, the President of the Japan Football Association, recently expressed concerns about holding this tournament, stating, "Based on what I've heard from the news, the situation remains unsafe, so I currently do not think it would be easy to hold this cup there."
While Saudi organizers insist that preparations are proceeding as planned, the Asian Football Confederation is also closely monitoring the situation. Sheikh Salman, the President of the Asian Football Confederation, has announced that a final decision will be made by the end of November, and if necessary, the tournament may even be postponed to 2028.
Despite the initial challenges, Postecoglou remains optimistic about his team's progress and outlined his player rotation policy in a press conference in Uzbekistan. He emphasized that he has considered the pressure of matches and the volume of upcoming travel, granting rest to Ronaldo and his teammates. Despite a difficult start, Postecoglou believes the team has now reached an excellent stage.
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