Was Cristiano Ronaldo benched by Al Nassr? AFC Champions League Knockout Rounds’ Portuguese Star ‘Rested’

Was Cristiano Ronaldo benched by Al Nassr? AFC Champions League Knockout Rounds’ Portuguese Star ‘Rested’ Ronaldo was excused this week for Al-Nassr,

and it is anticipated that the Riyadh club, which has yet to win a continental championship, will advance to the final four. Cristiano Ronaldo has taken a break and is now focussing on securing his first significant trophy in Saudi Arabia. The 40-year-old Ronaldo has yet to gather any silverware since signing for Al-

Nassr in December 2022, despite breaking the Saudi Pro League’s scoring record with 35 goals last season and leading the standings in this campaign. Al-Nassr will be led by him in the Asian Champions League Elite quarterfinals against Japan-based Yokohama F.Marinos on Saturday. The Riyadh club, which has yet to secure a continental championship, is anticipated to advance to the final four, particularly after Ronaldo was excused for

Al-Nassr’s domestic league victory over Damac this week. Coach Stefano Pioli maintains an impressive roster, regardless of the absence of the five-time Ballon d’Or recipient. Jhon Duran, who was acquired from Aston Villa in January for a sum exceeding $100 million, Sadio Mane, a former Liverpool player, and Aymeric Laporte, a Spanish international defender, comprise the squad.

Al-Nassr also enjoys home field advantage, as all semifinal games are being played in Jeddah, which is situated along the Red Sea coast. “We are currently entirely concentrated on Asia,” Pioli stated on Tuesday. “We have been diligently preparing for it, and I am pleased with the players’ performance.” Yokohama was a beaten finalist last season; however,

they are currently in last place in Japan’s domestic competition, having collected only two points from their last seven games. Steve Holland, a former assistant coach to Gareth Southgate for the England national team, was terminated by the club last week after serving as coach for only four months. The club announced in a statement that “Patrick Kisnorbo, an Australian, will temporarily assume the role of interim manager.

” Al-Hilal, Nassr’s Riyadh rival, has won a record four Asian titles and is set to face Gwangju FC, a South Korean club that is making its first appearance in the tournament, on Friday. Hilal was the most impressive team in the ACL group stage and, as it is improbable that it will surpass Al-Ittihad at the summit of the Saudi Pro League, it is concentrating on its pursuit of a fifth continental championship.