FC Goa take on Al-Nassr in the AFC Champions League Two game
CR7 will miss the fixture after being 'rested' for the group game
Apart from Ronaldo, Croatian midfielder Brozović is another notable absentee
Megastar Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr FC's game against FC Goa in Wednesday's AFC Champions League Two group match. The Saudi team reached the Indian shores sans the former Manchester United star as the two teams prepare to lock horns at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.
There was huge anticipation that the Portuguese great would travel with Al Nassr, marking his first appearance in India, but Ronaldo decided to give the trip a miss. Apart from Ronaldo, Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozović is another notable absentee.
However, their absence is unlikely to dent the Saudi Arabian side’s strength, with the Riyadh-based heavyweights arriving in Goa high on confidence after two strong outings in Group A.
FC Goa, meanwhile, will have their task cut out as they look to open their account in the competition at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. It has been a challenging start for Manolo Marquez’s men, who have shown flashes of promise but fallen short in execution.
FC Goa began their ACL2 campaign with a 0–2 defeat to Al Zawraa SC in the group opener at home, where early missed chances proved costly. Their second outing, away to FC Istiklol in Dushanbe, followed a similar pattern — disciplined for long stretches but undone by lapses in key moments as they went down by the same margin.
With back-to-back defeats, the Gaurs now face their toughest assignment yet against one of Asia’s most high-profile clubs.
Al-Nassr have made a strong start to their own ACL2 campaign under Portuguese head coach Jorge Jesus. The Saudi club opened with a commanding 5–0 win over FC Istiklol, followed by a hard-fought 2–0 victory against Al Zawraa SC, placing them firmly in control of the group standings.
Other Indian club Mohun Bagan won't play any part in the AFC Cup after the ISL team refused to travel to Islamic Republic of Iran for their Group C match against Sepahan SC on September 30.
MBSG were slated to play Jordanian club Al-Hussein SC on October 21, but the match has now been called off.
(with PTI inputs)
