Al Nassr are set to travel to Iraq to prevent Al ZaWraa On MatchDay 2 of the 2025-26 AFC Champions League 2With the aim of extending their winning series to six games in all competitions. While the team was preparing to leave Saudi -Arabia, Head coach Jorge Jesus explained why Cristiano Ronaldo has been omitted from the journey.
From a striking version against Al Ittihad by Karim Benzema on Friday, Where Ronaldo scored a decisive goal to secure three points and to reclaim the first place in the Saudi Pro LeagueThe striker remains crucial for Al Nassr. But with the club that competes on three fronts this season (the competition, AFC Champions League 2 and the King’s Cup), the coaching staff has introduced a rotation policy to manage its workload.
Tuesday talking to the media about his decision, Jesus Was clear: “I thought this was the best time to rest Cristiano Ronaldo. He is currently 40 years old, and we fear that he might be able to suffer injuries, so I decided to exclude him. “
The Portuguese coach also emphasized his confidence in the rest of the team after their dominant 5-0 win in the opening group competition against FC Istiklol. ‘The players are very motivated to win and have a strong desire to do this. It will be a tough match, but we are ready to compete“Said Jesus.
Cristiano Ronaldo van Al-Nassr (L) and team head coach Jorge Jesus van Al-Nassr (R) React
All others Al Nassr stars will travel to Baghdad, Including new signing sessions João Félix, Kingsley Coman and Iñigo MartínezWhile Jesus wants to protect three points away from home. Haroune Camara is expected to lead the line in the absence of Ronaldo.
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Ronaldo’s rest and national team obligation
In contrast to previous seasons, Ronaldo’s minutes are carefully managed at Al Nassr – not because of form, But to retain his suitability for the decisive phases of the campaign. After he had already extended the opening AFC Champions League 2 match and had started on the couch in the King’s Cupmature last week, he will now miss another competition as part of this strategy.
The rest period also serves to keep it fresh for the upcoming UEFA World Cup qualifications from Portugal. With all Nassr only after the international break in October in action, Ronaldo will have extra time to prepare for the collision of Portugal against the Republic of Ireland on October 11followed by an important match against Hungary on October 14.
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