Cristiano Ronaldo: Jorge Jesus explains Al-Nassr star’s absence from squad for Goa clash
Ronaldo has not made the trip to India.
Cristiano Ronaldo will not feature in Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League two match with Goa, with coach Jorge Jesus explaining the Portugal star was omitted from the squad to give him respite from the attention he receives outside of Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Pro League leaders will look to make it three wins from three in Group D of the Champions League Two when they visit Goa on Wednesday.
But 40-year-old Ronaldo has not made the trip to southwest India, instead remaining in Riyadh to prepare for Saturday’s Pro League game with Al-Hazm, before a Kings Cup clash with Al-Ittihad next Tuesday. Al-Nassr beat the defending Pro League champions 2-0 last month.
Explaining the decision, Jesus said: “Ronaldo is extremely popular outside Saudi Arabia, and many fans want to take pictures with him, especially in India, Iraq, and Hong Kong. That’s why we opted to keep him in Riyadh to maintain his preparation.”
Jesus added: “We are here to win. We have a wealth of experience managing back-to-back matches and know how to get the best out of our players’ abilities.
“Al-Nassr has made clear progress recently, but we are still at the beginning of our journey. The team boasts great assets with its Saudi and foreign players, and we work every day to develop them to reach the highest level.”