Cristiano Ronaldo’s status update shared by Al Nassr coach Jesus ahead of AFC Champions League Two clash vs. Goa
Al Nassr are currently the undisputed leaders in the Saudi Pro League, having won all five of their matches so far. Within that context, the team is now shifting its focus to the AFC Champions League Two, where they will face Goa this Wednesday in India. Head coach Jorge Jesus addressed Cristiano Ronaldo’s availability for that match.
“For matches outside Saudi Arabia, we decided to rest Ronaldo,” Jesus announced during a press conference this week, according to Goal. “We have to make choices and we’ve decided to leave him in Riyadh to prepare for the upcoming matches… We need to preserve his fitness.”
The Portuguese coach justified his decision by pointing to the need to rest Cristiano, who, at 40 years old, remains a key player for both his club and the Portugal national team. But he also mentioned another factor—the attention the forward draws wherever he goes.
“Everyone admires Ronaldo, he has a massive fanbase… We know that in Iraq, India many people want to see him and take pictures with him,” Jorge Jesus acknowledged at the same press conference. The coach made it clear that he understands this decision will be met with disappointment from fans, but his priority is doing what’s best for the team.
Ronaldo still absent from AFC Champions League Two
Jorge Jesus’ reasoning—that avoiding international travel and intense fan interactions helps manage Ronaldo’s workload—makes sense, but it doesn’t fully explain all of the coach’s decisions this season.
Al Nassr failed last season to qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite, Asia’s top-tier club tournament, and had to settle for the second-tier competition instead—roughly equivalent to the UEFA Europa League. Given that context, the club’s primary focus this season is on the Saudi Pro League rather than continental play.
That’s reflected in how Cristiano Ronaldo’s minutes have been distributed during the 2025–26 campaign. While he has played all five full matches in the Saudi league, he hasn’t been included in the squad for any AFC Champions League Two games.
He didn’t travel to Iraq for the game against Al-Zawraa SC, he won’t make the trip to India to face Goa, and he also didn’t play at home against Istiqlol. This seems to indicate a clear strategy for CR7 to concentrate his efforts on the Saudi Pro League and, at least for now, stay out of the Champions League Two action.
What’s next for Cristiano Ronaldo?
After a 5–1 win over Al Fateh last Saturday, Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Wednesday’s clash against Goa in the AFC Champions League II and enjoy a full week of rest before Al Nassr’s next fixture—an away match against Al Hazm on Saturday.
However, after that Saudi Pro League match, Jorge Jesus’ team will face a tougher test in a different competition: on Tuesday, October 28, Al Nassr will play their second match in the King Cup of Champions. They opened the tournament with a 4–0 win over Jeddah, but now face a Round of 16 clash against Al Ittihad.