When Al Nassr travels to play Istiklol in the AFC Champions League in early December, supporters of the team will undoubtedly note that their biggest player is missing.
This season, the 38-year-old has had to control his playing time. Although he is still a huge asset to the Saudi team, he must choose his moments.
The away game in continental play today offered a fantastic opportunity to watch Ronaldo bounce back from a recent setback and prepare for several crucial upcoming games.
The Portuguese player needed a few days off to rest and recuperate before facing the difficult task of winning the Saudi Pro League. Sporting News explains why today’s match was the ideal chance to provide him with that opportunity.
Due to a neck injury, Cristiano Ronaldo was forced to leave the AFC Champions League group stage match against Persepolis on November 27, ending the match in a 0-0 tie.
Ronaldo took the field wearing black trainer’s tape on the left side of his neck, indicating that the knock is still bothering him somewhat, even though he was able to start and play the entire 90 minutes in the devastating 3-0 loss to Al Hilal on December 1.
Ronaldo was rested for their previous away game against Qatari club Al Duhail on November 7, which Al Nassr won 3-2. This lengthy road trip to Tajikistan offered the aging star another opportunity to obtain some much-needed rest, as Al Nassr had already secured their spot atop their AFC Champions League group.
Ronaldo had little incentive to travel to face Istiklol given his neck injury, advanced age, the distance, and the lack of competitive stakes in the match. With seven points behind leaders Al Hilal to makeup, he should be prepared to play on Friday in the league at home against Al Riyadh.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s season stats and minutes for Al Nassr
For a player that is 38 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo has played a lot of minutes this season. However, Ronaldo is still a vital member of the team, thus head coach Luis Castro has had to use the Portuguese star whenever feasible. For this reason, getting Ronaldo some time off is crucial.
With 15 goals in 14 games, Ronaldo leads the Saudi Pro League in scoring, but in the most recent loss to Al Hilal, he was shut out twice by rival Aleksandar Mitrovic, who closed the score between the two.
As a team, Al Nassr is presently ranked second in the league standings; however, they need to work to bridge the seven-point deficit that has emerged between them and the leaders, Al Hilal, following their most recent defeat. They have already guaranteed their spot in the AFC Champions League knockout stages, which are scheduled to start in the middle of February 2024.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s stats for Al Nassr in the 2023/24 season
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Mins |
| Saudi Pro League | 14 | 15 | 7 | 1,256 |
| AFC Champions League | 5 | 3 | 1 | 438 |
| King’s Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 120 |
| TOTAL | 20 | 18 | 8 | 1,814 |
