New Delhi: Cristiano Ronaldo is down with viral infection and has been ruled out of his club Al Nassr’s Asian Champions League opening match. The tournament kicks off on Monday with Al Nassr travelling to Iraq to take on Al Shorta at at the Al-Madina Stadium in Baghdad.
Ronaldo is eyeing Asia’s top most club crown to ass to his illustrious list of achievements but suffered a setback as he is unable to take part his club’s first match.
“Al Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo was not feeling well today and was diagnosed with a viral infection,” the Saudi Arabian club said in a statement posted on social media account X.
“The team’s doctor confirmed he needs to rest and stay at home. As a result he will not be travelling with the team to Iraq today. We wish our captain a speedy recovery.”
Last season on his debut in ACL, the Portuguese’s aim of winning the trophy in the quarter-final stage through a penalty shootout defeat to eventual champions Al Ain.
New format
The top-tier tournament is now rebranded as ACL ELite and will introduce a new format, dividing 24 teams evenly into two groups of East and West regions of the continent.
In the new structure, each team will face eight different opponents in the group stage with the top eight sides from each zone advancing to the two-legged last 16, to be held in March. The final stages of the tournament then moves to Saudi Arabia and will be staged from April 25 to May 4.
Champions of Saudi Arabia Al Hilal will be eyeing their record-extending fifth Asian title but will be without Brazilian star Neymar, who is yet to regain full fitness from the knee injury sustained last year.
They have roped in Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo, strengthening the squad already formidable with the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves.
Without Ronaldo, Al Nassr will depend on the likes on Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte and Marcelo Brozovic to win.
Cristiano Ronaldo is eyeing Asia’s top most club crown to ass to his illustrious list of achievements but suffered a setback as he is unable to take part his club’s first match. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today