C. Ronaldo left out of Al Nassr squad against Goa… coach explains! | OneFootball

C. Ronaldo absent against FC Goa: Jorge Jesus provides the reasons

Cristiano Ronaldo / @x.com/giraltpablo/

As part of the third round of the AFC Champions League, Al Nassr travel this Wednesday to face FC Goa at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa, which can host up to 60,000 spectators.

Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus has decided not to include the team captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, in the squad for this match, opting to give him a rest to preserve his physical condition and ensure his availability for upcoming fixtures.

During the press conference, the coach explained: “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.”

He 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.”

Jorge Jesus concluded: “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.”

Al Nassr heads into the away game against FC Goa leading Group D with 6 points, following back-to-back victories over Istiqlol Dushanbe (5-0) and Al-Zawraa (2-0).