Cristiano Ronaldo is set to miss Al Nassr’s Asian Champions League opener against Al Shorta in Iraq after being diagnosed with a viral infection. The Portuguese star, aiming to add Asia’s top club title to his accolades, fell ill on Sunday, according to a club statement shared on social media platform X. The statement confirmed that Ronaldo’s condition requires rest at home, preventing him from traveling with the team.
Ronaldo’s first attempt at the Asian Champions League with Al Nassr ended in a quarter-final shootout loss to Al Ain earlier this year. Al Nassr, along with other Saudi teams like Al Ahli and Al Hilal, is expected to be a formidable contender in the rebranded Asian Champions League Elite, following significant investments in players like Ronaldo and Neymar.
The new format, starting Monday, will feature 24 teams split into East and West zones, each playing eight group stage matches. The top teams will proceed to the last 16 in March, with the final stages hosted in Saudi Arabia from April 25 to May 4.
Al Hilal, the reigning Saudi champions, are in pursuit of their fifth Asian title. However, they await Neymar’s return from a knee injury. The team has recently strengthened their lineup by signing Joao Cancelo from Manchester City.
Despite Ronaldo’s absence, Al Nassr can still rely on stars like Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte, and Marcelo Brozovic. Defending champions Al Ain, coached by Hernan Crespo, will be looking to replicate their success from last season.
The competition also includes clubs from Qatar, Iran, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, Thailand, and Malaysia, with Japanese teams showing strong performances in recent years.