Cristiano Ronaldo absence from Al Nassr’s November 2 clash against Pakhtakor has attracted attention after head coach Ange Postecoglou decided to rest the Portuguese superstar amid a demanding fixture schedule and extensive travel commitments. He was left out of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s squad for the match in Uzbekistan against AFC Champions League Elite.
He has been in form recently, but his absence follows from his latest hat-trick, building up more interest in his involvement. But Ronaldo isn’t the only big name that isn’t on the trip. Al Nassr are also dealing with a heavy schedule of play and have left Kingsley Coman and Mohamed Simakan out. Postecoglou said ahead of the game that it was due to the physical demands that players would be subjected to, especially with the amount of matches they will be facing and traveling so far.
The coach’s explanation indicates that Ronaldo isn’t suffering from an injury, but rather taking a break. It is a move to keep a free-hiring approach to dealing with key factors and ensuring the availability of those in various competitions, for Al Nassr. Ronaldo’s absence will still be a major talking point for fans, not only because he was a key figure for Al Nassr’s attacking threat, but because he was able to turn key moments in important games.
The Portuguese attacker will not be available for the Saudi Arabian side will have to face Pakhtakor in the continental competition and look to the other players in their attacking line-up for help. The choice also reflects the realities of clubs running across domestic and international tourneys, in which player rotation may be key to enabling a club to manage the demands of such tourneys.
