Cristiano Ronaldo rested for Al-Nassr's match against Pakhtakor

Cristiano Ronaldo was absent from the Al-Nassr squad for the match against Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor. While there was speculation regarding security concerns in the region affecting the continental tournament, the club's manager clarified that Ronaldo's absence was a planned decision to manage player fatigue.

«I have decided to give rest to Ronaldo, Kingsley Coman, and Mohamed Simakan, given the accumulation of matches and the frequency of travel», the manager revealed.

The forward remains focused on reaching the historic milestone of 1000 career goals. In his most recent appearance for Al-Nassr against Al-Kholood, Ronaldo netted a hat-trick, bringing his official total to 985 goals. He is now 15 goals away from the historic mark.